In situ sampling reveals rapid uptake and depuration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by surf clams (Paphies subtriangulata) affected by the Rena oil spill

ABSTRACT

To investigate the uptake and depuration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with the Rena oil spill we sampled the surf clam Paphies subtriangulata at two open coast locations (6?km apart) just prior to oil coming ashore (7 October 2011), then at 1–3 week intervals for the next 4 months. Total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (tPAH) increased at both sites from 1 to 96–124?µg?kg^?1 (wet weight) by 18 October before declining to low levels (<4?µg?kg^?1) by February 2012. Ongoing sampling throughout 2012–2014 included three additional sites to the north east (up to 30?km away) and a site 5?km to the south east revealing tPAH levels generally <10?µg?kg^?1 except in October 2013 where levels ranged between 39–45?µg?kg^?1 at all sites. A comparison of PAH component profiles with oil-contaminated beach sediment indicated that the high levels observed in surf clams between October–December 2011 were clearly associated with the Rena spill. However, the October 2013 peak had a PAH profile inconsistent with weathered Rena oil, suggesting an alternative source of contamination. Our results highlight the potential for P. subtriangulata as a PAH monitoring tool but recognise more study is needed to better quantify baseline levels and uptake and depuration dynamics.     

Migration and speciation transformation mechanisms of mercury in undercurrent zones of the Tongguan gold mining area,Shaanxi Loess Plateau and impact on the environment

In order to study the migration and transformation mechanism of Hg content and occurrence form in subsurface flow zone of gold mining area in Loess Plateau and its influence on water environment, the field in-situ infiltration test and laboratory test were carried out in three typical sections of river-side loess, alluvial and proluvial strata in Tongguan gold mining area of Shaanxi Province, and the following results were obtained: (1) The source of Hg in subsurface flow zone is mainly caused by mineral processing activities; (2) the subsurface flow zone in the study area is in alkaline environment, and the residual state, iron and manganese oxidation state, strong organic state and humic acid state of mercury in loess are equally divided in dry and oxidizing environment; mercury in river alluvial or diluvial strata is mainly concentrated in silt, tailings and clayey silt soil layer, and mercury has certain stability, and the form of mercury in loess is easier to transform than the other two media; (3) under the flooding condition, most of mercury is trapped in the silt layer in the undercurrent zone where the sand and silt layers alternate with each other and the river water and groundwater are disjointed, and the migration capacity of mercury is far less than that of loess layer and alluvial layer with close hydraulic connection; (4) infiltration at the flood level accelerates the migration of pollutants to the ground; (5) the soil in the undercurrent zone is overloaded and has seriously exceeded the standard. Although the groundwater monitoring results are safe this time, relevant enterprises or departments should continue to pay attention to improving the gold extraction process, especially vigorously rectify the small workshops for illegal gold extraction and the substandard discharge of the three wastes, and intensify efforts to solve the geological environmental problems of mines left over from history. At present, the occurrence form of mercury in the undercurrent zone is relatively stable, but the water and soil layers have been polluted. The risk of disjointed groundwater pollution can not be ignored while giving priority to the treatment of loess and river alluvial landform areas with close hydraulic links. The research results will provide a scientific basis for water conservancy departments to groundwater prevention and control in water-deficient areas of the Loess Plateau.     

NOAA gulf of Mexico status and trends program: Trace organic contaminant distribution in sediments and oysters

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), chlorinated pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) concentrations were determined in sediment and oysters to provide information on the current status of the concentration of these contaminants in Gulf of Mexico coastal areas removed from point sources of input. Coprostanol analyses of sediments showed that anthropogenic materials are associated with the sediments at all 153 stations sampled. The levels of contaminants encountered are low compared with areas of known contamination. Average PAH concentrations are nearly the same in oysters and sediments, although the molecular weight distribution is different. Average DDT and PCB concentrations are higher by a factor of 10 to 130 in oysters as compared to sediments. Continued sampling and analyses will allow for long-term trends in the concentrations of these contaminants to be determined.     

赣南地区石雷石英闪长岩的成因:岩石化学、副矿物微量元素、锆石U-Pb年代学与Sr-Nd-Hf同位素制约

石雷石英闪长岩是赣南崇-余-犹地区比较特殊的闪长质侵入体。锆石的原位U-Pb定年表明,该岩体侵位于433.5±3.4Ma。全岩主量元素特征上显示出中偏酸性(SiO2=56.92%～64.70%),富Al(Al2O3=14.10%～14.83%),富碱(Alk=6.41%～7.40%)特别是富钾(K2O=3.86%～4.85%),镁、铁含量较高,MgO:3.47%～5.95%,FeOT:5.23%～8.14%以及低磷(P2O5=0.27%～0.4%)的特点;微量元素上主要富集K、Rb、Cs等大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素,亏损Nb、Ta、Ti、P等高场强元素。磷灰石微量元素特征上显示高度富集稀土元素特别是轻稀土元素的特征;具有Eu的负异常(δEu=0.37～0.45)。ISr位于0.7073～0.7132之间,εNd(t)变化于-8.41～-4.97之间,两阶段钕模式年龄介于1.58～1.86Ga之间,Hf同位素组成相对均一,εHf(t)主要集中变化于-8～-2之间,两阶段Hf模式年龄加权平均为1.77±0.09Ga,这些特征都暗示了该石英闪长质岩体的形成是强烈壳幔相互作用的产物,区内加里东晚期可能发生了局部的岩石圈的减薄。     

The UV cameras on the High Energy Transient Experiment (HETE)

The High Energy Transient Experiment (HETE), scheduled for launch this year, is a small satellite dedicated to multiwavelength observations of -ray and X-ray bursts. The HETE spacecraft will be equipped with gamma-ray detectors, X-ray detectors with a coded mask, and ultraviolet-sensitive CCD cameras. The UV cameras on HETE are wide-field imagers which will a) provide UV images of the regions in which -ray or X-ray bursts are detected, before, duringand after the burst, b) detect UV transients, whether associated with a high-energy transient or not, c) monitor the brightnesses of field stars for variability over a wide range of timescales, and d) serve as star trackers for HETE. In this poster, we describe the HETE UV instrumentation, control software, and data products.     

Cape cormorants decrease,move east and adapt foraging strategies following eastward displacement of their main prey

Numbers of Cape cormorants Phalacrocorax capensis breeding in South Africa decreased by nearly 50% from approximately 107 000 pairs in 1977–1981 to 57 000 pairs in 2010–2014. Although four colonies had >10 000 pairs in 1977–1981, there was just one such colony in 2010–2014. Almost all the decrease occurred after the early 1990s off north-west South Africa, between the Orange River estuary and Dassen Island. South of this, the number breeding in the two periods was stable, with some colonies being formed or growing rapidly in the 2000s. The proportion of South Africa’s Cape cormorants that bred south of Dassen Island increased from 35% in 1977–1981 to 66% in 2010–2014, with the opposite situation observed in the north-west. This matched a shift to the south and east in the distributions of two of the Cape cormorant’s main prey species, anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax. In 2014, an apparent scarcity of prey in the north-west resulted in Cape cormorants attempting to take bait from hooks of fishing lines over an extended period, a behaviour not previously recorded. The number of Cape cormorants breeding in the south may be constrained by the absence of large islands between Dyer Island in the west and Algoa Bay in the east. If so, it may be possible to bolster the southern population through the provision of appropriate breeding habitat, such as platforms, or restricting human disturbance at suitable mainland cliff breeding sites.     

In situ microbial degradation of Prudhoe Bay crude oil in Beaufort Sea sediments

This study examined the fate of Prudhoe Bay crude oil in nearshore sediments of the Beaufort Sea, in situ, with emphasis on the rôle of microorganisms in the weathering process. The results indicate that oil is degraded in Arctic sediments very slowly; only after 1 year's exposure was biodegradation evident. Several factors probably contributed to the slow rate of microbial weathering, including: limited populations of hydrocarbon utilising microorganisms; localised high oil concentrations; low temperatures; limiting nutrient concentrations (unfavourable C:N and C:P ratios); low oxygen tensions and limited circulation of interstitial waters in fine-grained sediments. Abiotic weathering of the oil was also slow, with limited loss of low molecular weight aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons during 2 years' exposure. Significant features of the overall weathering process were: lack of initial loss of low molecular weight compounds; aliphatic compounds were not preferentially degraded over aromatic compounds and C₁₇, and lower molecular weight normal alkanes were preferentially degraded over higher molecular weight alkanes. The results of this study indicate that hydrocarbons will persist relatively unaltered for several years if Beaufort Sea sediments are contaminated with petroleum.