Geochemistry of lower and middle Keuper sediments in the Central Thuringian Syncline

Cuttings of Lower and Middle Keuper sediments of the INFLUINS-drilling in the central Thuringian Syncline were geochemically analysed. Indications about shifting depositional environments are interpreted from ratios of whole-rock element contents. For the middle part of sandstone cycle S 2 high heavy metal contents imply precipitation of sufidic ores during a short marine interval. Element contents are compared with potential source rocks in the southern part of the Baltic Shield, in the Lausitz Anticline Zone, in the Erzgebirge, in the moldanubian part, in the broad sense, of the Bohemian Massif, in the Münchberg Gneiss Massif and the Fichtelgebirge. The geochemical coincidence of investigated Keuper sediments is highest with grantioid and gabbroic rocks of southern Scandinavia. Granodiorite rocks of the Lausitz are also possible sources, whereas granites of the Fichtelgebirge and the Bohemian Massif are less probable.

(Table II, page 668-669) Distribution of elements between minerals soluble in 1M Hydroxylamine hydrochloride (Reducible); in 1m HCL (Acid-soluble) and in the insoluble residue of manganese nodules

Attempts to classify pelagic sediments have been based either on appearance and composition, or on the ultimate origin of the components. In particular it appears feasible to distinguish minerals which crystallized in sea-water from those which formed in magmas, in hydrothermal solution, or by weathering under acidic conditions. It is the case of iron and manganese oxide mineral aggregates which constitute one of the major types of rock encountered on the ocean floor; according to Menard (unpublished) about 10% of the pelagic area of the Pacific is covered by such nodules. The nodules consist of intimately intergrown crystallites of different minerals among those identified, besides detrital minerals and organic matter, are opal, goethite, rutile, anatase, barite, nontronite, and at least three manganese oxide minerals of major importance. Arrhenius and Korkisch (1959) have attempted to separate from each other the different minerals constituting the nodules, in order to establish the details of their structure and the localization of the heavy metal ions. The results demonstrate (Table II) that copper and nickel are concentrated in the manganese oxide phases concentrated in the reducible fraction. Cobalt, part of the nickel and most of the chromium are distributed between these and the acid-soluble group of the non-manganese minerals, dominated by goethite and disordered FeOOH.

Analytical data as related to sediment types and water depth, Adriatic Sea

A preliminary set of heavy metal analyses from surface sediment samples covering the whole Adriatic Basin is presented, and their significance in terms of pollution is discussed. The core samples were analysed for Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, P, organic carbon, Ca- and Mg-carbonate, and their mineralogical composition and grain size distribution were determined. All heavy metal concentrations found can be attributed to natural sedimentological processes and are not necessarily to be interpreted as indications of pollution.

Table 1. Concentration of rare earth elements in ferromanganese nodule (crust), sediment and rock of the South China Sea

Based on the X-ray fluorescence spectrum analysis of 15 rare earth elements in 6 ferromanganese nodu1es and 5 ferro mangane se crusts from the South China Sea, their abundances, distribution patterns, sources and relationships with associated elements are discussed in detail in this paper. The results show that: 1) The average abundance of rare earth elements in ferromanganese nodu1es and crusts is 1. 625 g/kg and 2. 167 g/kg respectively, which is 1-2 tim es , 5-6 times and 15-20 times higher than that in the Pacific, in the sediments of the North Pacific and the South China Sea, respectively; 2) The distribution patterns of rare earth elements standardized by the globular aerolite in ferro mangane se nodules and crusts are basically similar, that is, Ce is positively abnormal and Eu is in deficit slightly; 3) The relationships between rare earth elements and associated elements, sediments and rocks show that the source of rare earth elements in ferromanganese nodules and crusts have mainly come from slow deposition caused by weathering and leaching of medium acidic rock of the South China Sea.

Développement de fibres optiques composites pour la génération du supercontinuum dans l’infrarouge

Les sources laser à large bande possédant les caractéristiques requises pour émettre sur la plage spectrale correspondant à la seconde fenêtre de transmission atmosphérique (3 à 5 μm) exercent un attrait considérable pour divers domaines tels que la télédétection de polluants atmosphériques et les contremesures infrarouges. Les supercontinua générés à l’intérieur de fibres optiques représentent une option intéressante pour réaliser ce type de sources laser. En effet, ils possèdent une intensité élevée, un large contenu spectral, une excellente directionnalité de faisceau, ainsi qu’un bon potentiel pour constituer des sources lumineuses compactes et robustes. Toutefois, la génération d’un tel supercontinuum implique certains défis à relever sur le plan de la conception des fibres optiques employées. En fait, ces fibres optiques doivent présenter de faibles pertes de propagation sur la plage spectrale de 3 à 5 μm, posséder un paramètre de non-linéarité élevé et permettre le pompage en régime anomal de dispersion à des longueurs d’onde pour lesquelles des sources laser compactes sont offertes commercialement. En matière de robustesse, ces fibres doivent également démontrer de bonnes propriétés mécaniques ainsi qu’une stabilité chimique appropriée vis-à-vis de la corrosion causée par l’humidité. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, un nouveau type de fibres composites à saut d’indice fortement contrasté a été développé pour atteindre ces objectifs de génération de supercontinuum. Ce type de fibres combine respectivement un verre de tellurite et un verre de germanate pour son coeur et sa gaine permettant ainsi d’atteindre une différence d’indice de réfraction d’environ 0.3 entre ces deux dernières structures. Grâce à cet important saut d’indice, ces fibres peuvent fortement confiner les modes optiques à l’intérieur de leur coeur, ce qui leur donne la possibilité d’atteindre un niveau élevé de non-linéarité et d’optimiser leurs caractéristiques de dispersion chromatique pour la génération du supercontinuum. D’autre part, leur section transversale toute solide leur confère aussi une meilleure stabilité environnementale comparativement à celle démontrée par les fibres optiques microstructurées à base de verres d’oxydes de métaux lourds, de verres de chalcogénure et de verres fluorés. Toutefois, leur fabrication nécessite l’appariement de verres dont les propriétés thermomécaniques concordent suffisamment ensemble pour permettre leur fibrage. Les travaux effectués ici démontrent la production de fibres optiques composites et leur potentiel pour la génération du supercontinuum dans l’infrarouge moyen.

Sub lethal mercuric chloride toxicity induced stress related alterations in the epithelial lining of foot of the freshwater mussel Lamellidens marginalis (Lamarck)

Sub lethal (0.2 ppm) mercuric chloride induced stress related histopathological alterations in the epithelial linings of foot (podium) of the edible freshwater mussel Lamellidens marginalis (Lamarck) were studied using histochemical techniques up to 60 days of exposure. The histomorphological changes were manifested only slowly and its intensity was somewhat proportional to the duration of exposure. The immediate response of the exposed mussels was the altered mucous secretion. There was a progressive incorporation of sulphated glycoproteins into the secretory contents of the mucous cells especially in the first half of the experiment. Marked histopathological changes including necrosis, appearance of pyknotic nuclei, sloughing of epithelial cells and appearance of non-tissue spaces, etc., started appearing during the later half of the experiment. The fag end of the experiment, which witnessed prominent histomorphological changes, was accompanied by highly decreased mucous secretion. KEYWORDS: heavy metal toxicity, mercuric chloride, Lamellidens marginalis, freshwater mussel, histopathology.

Physico-chemical assessment of sediments of Tamarindo estuary and its tributaries, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Sediments of Tamarindo estuary and its tributaries were evaluated in order to determine the effect of anthropogenic activities of the surrounding communities. The evaluation relied on texture, total phosphorus, organic matter, and heavy metal (Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) analyses. The study spanned four sampling campaigns between October 2007 and April 2008, including four climatic seasons: rainy season, rainy-dry transition, dry season and dryrainy transition. Five sampling points were selected at Tamarindo estuary and three additional sites were set at Matapalo, Lomas and Lajas rivers. Ontario Ministry of the Environment regulation was used to evaluate sediment quality. It was determined that theanthropogenic activities of the surrounding communities exert a negative impact over the sediment quality; the pollution effect caused by such activities was rated as lower effect.

Investigation on water and sediment quality variation from coast to off shore and its relation to bent hoses biodiversity: case study Bandar tahery

This paper deals with the qualification of water and sediment particularly those of benthos, as well as their interaction results, through careful laboratory researches within 24 experimental sites around the bank of Bandar Taheri, Persian Gulf water of Iranian borders, under 13th phase south Pars project. Samples were carried to the laboratories and careful experimental tests such as physical chemical, heavy metal, nitrate ammoniac, toc and other biologic tests including various type of benthos count were performed. Data gained through Shanon and Dankan statistical analyses were also studied to determine the water, sediment and pollution rate. Resulted information would classify the area as less polluted area which is rather away from critical environmental zone, another word the area could be liable to change to an undesired one while the density rates of principal metals follows the Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd>N pattern.

Equilibrium Sorption Studies of Hg (II) Ions from Aqueous Solution using Powdered Swamp Arum ( Lasimorpha senegalensis ) Seeds.

The potential of swamp arum ( Lasimorpha senegalensis ) seeds as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Hg (II) ions from aqueous solution was investigated in this study. The influence of initial metal concentration on the percent adsorption of Hg (II) ions onto powdered swamp arum seeds was studied in a batch system and the filtrate was analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The percent adsorbed for 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg/L of the aqueous solution were 97.7, 98.9, 99.3, 99.7, and 96.5% respectively. Three isotherms; Langmuir, Freundlich, and BET were used to model the equilibrium sorption of Hg (II) ions onto powdered swamp arum seeds, with a correlation coefficient of 0.998, 0.784 and0.842 respectively. The Langmuir model fitted the equilibrium data best, with a correlation coefficient of 0.998 and a maximum adsorption capacity qm, of 5.917 mg/g. Thus, indicating monolayer coverage on the adsorbent. The results showed that swamp arum seed have the potential to be applied as alternative lowcost biosorbent in the remediation of heavy metal contamination in waste water.

Accumulation of six metals in the mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea: Ucididae) and its food source, the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle (Angiosperma: Rhizophoraceae)

The crab Ucides cordatus and the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle are endemic mangrove species and potential bio-accumulators of metals. This study quantified the accumulation of six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn and Pb) in different organs (claw muscle, hepatopancreas and gills) of U. cordatus, as well as in different maturation stages of the leaves (buds, green mature, and pre-abscission senescent) of R. mangle. Samples were collected from mangrove areas in Cubatao, state of São Paulo, a heavily polluted region in Brazil. Data for metal contents in leaves were evaluated by one-way ANOVA; while for crabs a factorial ANOVA was used to investigate the effect of different tissues, animal size and the interactions between them. Means were compared by Tukey test at five percent, and the association between the metal concentrations in each crab organ, depending on the size, was evaluated by Pearson's linear correlation coefficient (r). Concentrations of Pb and Hg were undetectable for the different leaf stages and crab tissues, while Cd concentrations were undetectable in the leaf stages. In general, the highest accumulation of metals in R. mangle leaves occurred in pre-abscission senescent and green mature leaves, except for Cu, which was found in the highest concentrations in buds and green mature leaves. For the crab, Cd, Cu, Cr and Mn were present in concentrations above the detection limit, with the highest accumulation in the hepatopancreas, followed by the gills. Cu was accumulated mostly in the gills. Patterns of bioaccumulation between the crab and the mangrove tree differed for each metal, probably due to the specific requirements of each organism for essential metals. However, there was a close and direct relationship between metal accumulation in the mangrove trees and in the crabs feeding on them. Tissues of R. mangle leaves and U. cordatus proved effective for monitoring metals, acting as important bioindicators of mangrove areas contaminated by various metals. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Síntese, caracterização e aplicação de nanoadsorventes magnéticos visando à remoção de Cr(VI) de águas residuais

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Mestrado em Ciências de Materias, 2016.

Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors for Real-Time Biomolecular Binding Study

Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensors have brought a revolutionary change to in vitro study of biological and biochemical processes due to its ability to measure extremely small changes in surface refractive index (RI), binding equilibrium and kinetics. Strategies based on LSPR have been employed to enhance the sensitivity for a variety of applications, such as diagnosis of diseases, environmental analysis, food safety, and chemical threat detection. In LSPR spectroscopy, absorption and scattering of light are greatly enhanced at frequencies that excite the LSPR, resulting in a characteristic extinction spectrum that depends on the RI of the surrounding medium. Compositional and conformational change within the surrounding medium near the sensing surface could therefore be detected as shifts in the extinction spectrum. This dissertation specifically focuses on the development and evaluation of highly sensitive LSPR biosensors for in situ study of biomolecular binding process by incorporating nanotechnology. Compared to traditional methods for biomolecular binding studies, LSPR-based biosensors offer real-time, label free detection. First, we modified the gold sensing surface of LSPR-based biosensors using nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and polymer to enhance surface absorption and sensitivity. The performance of this type of biosensors was evaluated on the application of small heavy metal molecule binding affinity study. This biosensor exhibited ~7 fold sensitivity enhancement and binding kinetics measurement capability comparing to traditional biosensors. Second, a miniaturized cell culture system was integrated into the LSPR-based biosensor system for the purpose of real-time biomarker signaling pathway studies and drug efficacy studies with living cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first LSPR-based sensing platform with the capability of living cell studies. We demonstrated the living cell measurement ability by studying the VEGF signaling pathway in living SKOV-3 cells. Results have shown that the VEGF secretion level from SKOV-3 cells is 0.0137 ± 0.0012 pg per cell. Moreover, we have demonstrated bevacizumab drug regulation to the VEGF signaling pathway using this biosensor. This sensing platform could potentially help studying biomolecular binding kinetics which elucidates the underlying mechanisms of biotransportation and drug delivery.

Aedes aegypti Pharate First Instar Aseasonal Quiescence Cues Anticipatory Plasticity with Implications for Urban Vector Ecology and Control

The eggs of the dengue fever vector Aedes aegypti possess the ability to undergo an extended quiescence period hosting a fully developed first instar larvae within its chorion. As a result of this life history stage, pharate larvae can withstand months of dormancy inside the egg where they depend on stored reserves of maternal origin. This adaptation known as pharate first instar quiescence, allows A. aegypti to cope with fluctuations in water availability. An examination of this fundamental adaptation has shown that there are trade-offs associated with it. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are frequently associated with urban habitats that may contain metal pollution. My research has demonstrated that the duration of this quiescence and the extent of nutritional depletion associated with it affects the physiology and survival of larvae that hatch in a suboptimal habitat; nutrient reserves decrease during pharate first instar quiescence and alter subsequent larval and adult fitness. The duration of quiescence compromises metal tolerance physiology and is coupled to a decrease in metallothionein mRNA levels. My findings also indicate that even low levels of environmentally relevant larval metal stress alter the parameters that determine vector capacity. My research has also demonstrated that extended pharate first instar quiescence can elicit a plastic response resulting in an adult phenotype distinct from adults reared from short quiescence eggs. Extended pharate first instar quiescence affects the performance and reproductive fitness of the adult female mosquito as well as the nutritional status of its progeny via maternal effects in an adaptive manner, i.e., anticipatory phenotypic plasticity results as a consequence of the duration of pharate first instar quiescence and alternative phenotypes may exist for this mosquito with quiescence serving as a cue possibly signaling the environmental conditions that follow a dry period. M findings may explain, in part, A. aegypti’s success as a vector and its geographic distribution and have implications for its vector capacity and control.