High Concentrations Of Trace Elements Research Articles

WHEAT-SPELT FLOUR OF TYPE 600 WITH IMPROVING BAKERY PROPERTIES

The article presents the results of comparative studies of quality indicators of wheat patent commercial flour, spelta flour and 9 mixtures of them, obtained by mixing in a different ratio (from 10 to 90%). It has been established that wheat flour have a lower protein content (11.5%) and lower gluten content (26.0%) against (14.2%) and (36.5%), respectively, in spelt flour. Rheological analysis of wheat dough showed high strength W=280×10-4J, high value of P = 109mm, but as a result of insufficient extensibility L=66mm a suboptimal curve configuration P/L=1.65 for baking purpose (P/L=0.8–1.2) is obtained. Conversely, spelt flour has strength W=110×10-4J, low resistance to extension (50mm), high extansability (95mm), low ratio P/L=0.56, dough from spelt flour is highly fluid and sticky. Therefore, to provide wheat dough specific technological properties proposed mixing wheat flour and spelt flour. It has been established that the addition of spelt flour in an amount up to 30–40% increases the volume of bread in 1.13–1.16 times from 440 cm3 to 480–490 cm3 and its porosity from 78% for wheat flour to 81% for wheat-spelt mixture. The best combination of sensory characteristics (shape, condition and color of the surface, the elasticity and color of the crumb, the nature of the porosity, taste and aroma of the bread) was obtained by adding spelt flour in an amount of 20–30%: this is the ratio recommended in the production of wheat-spelt flour. That will increase the cost of end–use flour in 1.15–1.25 times, but taking into account the need to adjust commercial wheat flour with enzyme preparations, the cost increase will be less. Such flour will have not only good bread-making properties thanks to the addition of spelt flour but also high content of various vitamins and trace elements, will have a pleasant yellowish color of crust. Since its ash content will be less 0.60%, such this flour can be named "wheat-spelt flour of Type 600".

Breaking down insect stoichiometry into chitin-based and internal elemental traits: Patterns and correlates of continent-wide intraspecific variation in the largest European saproxylic beetle

Stoichiometric, trophic and ecotoxicological data have traditionally been acquired from patterns of variation in elemental traits of whole invertebrate bodies, whereas the critical issue of the extracellular origin of some portion of elements, such as those present in ingested food and internal organs, has been ignored. Here we investigated an unexplored, yet crucial, question relating to whether, and to what degree, metals from two major body fractions: exoskeleton (elytra) and internal (body organs with gut material present in abdomens), are correlated with each other in wild populations of the largest European saproxylic insect, the Stag Beetle Lucanus cervus, and how metals from these two fractions vary with insect size and local habitat conditions. We examined the continent-wide variation in the concentrations of 12 chemical elements (Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, As, Cd, Pb and Ni) measured in the elytra and abdomen of specimens from 28 populations inhabiting an urban-woodland habitat gradient across the species’ entire distributional range from Spain to Russia. Across populations, elemental concentrations (except Ni and Pb) were 2–13 times higher in abdominal samples than in elytra, and the magnitude of these differences was related to both insect size and local habitat conditions. Smaller individuals from both woodland and urban habitat tended to have higher concentrations of trace elements (Zn, As, Cd, Pb and Ni). The concentration of only six elements (Mg, K, Na, Mn, Cd and Ni) was correlated in the elytra and abdomen at the individual and population levels, implying a limitation to the broader applicability of elytra as a surrogate for internal elemental pools. We highlight that in non-feeding adult saproxylic beetles, minerals, acquired during the larval stage, may be concentrated in the large quantities of residual body fat.

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the post-collisional high-K calc-alkaline magmatic rocks in Tengchong, SE Tibet

Post-collisional high-K calc-alkaline (HKCA) magmatic rocks (8 Ma to present) are extensively distributed in the Tengchong volcanic field (TVF), SE Tibet. Here, an integrated study of whole-rock major-trace elements, Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotopes and zircon U-Pb-Hf-O isotopes, together with mineral texture and geochemistry, are presented for these volcanic suites. The HKCA magmatic rocks exhibit high concentrations of incompatible trace elements with negative Nb-Ta-Ti anomalies and high (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.705–0.710), low (143Nd/144Nd)i (0.5120–0.5126) with variable δ18O (5.7–9.3‰). They may be divided into four groups from early to late stages: Groups I and III are basaltic-trachybasaltic-trachyandesitic assemblages (MgO = 3.3–9.2 wt.%); Groups II and IV mainly consist of trachyandesites and dacites (MgO = 0.6–5.1 wt.%). Incompatible trace element and Sr-Nd isotope compositions of the mafic magmas (MgO = 6.0–9.2 wt.%) from Groups I and III are postulated to reflect fluid enrichment of a mantle source by silicate and carbonatitic metasomatism as a consequence of eastward underthrusting of the Indian continental slab following the India-Asia collision. The petrogenesis of differentiated magmas (Groups II and IV) is interpreted in terms of control by crustal magma chamber AFC processes. The results of P-T estimation and EC-AFC modelling suggest at least two magma storage regions: a deep one (17–28 km) in which the trachyandesitic magmas were produced by AFC of basaltic magmas and a shallow one (9–14 km) fed by trachyandesitic magmas which gave rise to dacitic magmas via AFC. Phenocryst zoning textures also record mafic replenishment into silicic magma chambers.

Assessment of trace metal alterations in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid and tissue samples of patients with malignant brain tumors

The pathogenesis of malignant brain tumors (MBTs) should be better understood due to the evident association between prolonged exposure to metals and increased risk of MBTs. The present research aimed to find trace metals that could contribute to the pathogenesis of MBTs. Essential trace elements (Mn, Co, Zn, Cu, Se) and relevant toxic metals (Al, Ni, As, Sr, Cd, Ce, Pt, Pb, U) in the serum, cell fraction (CF), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cancerous tissue (CT) samples of MBT patients were analyzed. The results were compared with sex- and age-matched control groups. For the first time, this research showed that elemental profiles of serum, CF, CSF and CT samples in MBT patients were significantly altered compared to the appropriate controls, as well as that higher contents of trace elements (particularly Mn, Se, and Pb) could be involved in the pathogenesis of MBTs. However, the most noticeable change found was the elevated U content, indicating its considerable role as a major cerebral discriminator of the presence/absence of MBTs. The U/Se ratio could be considered as an appropriate blood marker in diagnostic MBT evaluation. The reported results could contribute to better understanding of the poorly understood pathogenesis of MBTs. Furthermore, the reported results could highlight a molecular basis for the pathophysiological changes caused by the hazardous effects of trace metals on brain homeostasis.

Exposure of earthworm (Eisenia fetida) to bauxite residue: Implications for future rehabilitation programmes.

Bauxite residue is typically alkaline, has high sodium content and elevated concentrations of trace elements. Effective rehabilitation strategies are needed to mitigate potential environmental risks from its disposal and storage. Increasingly, the importance of viable soil faunal populations as well as establishment of vegetation covers is recognized as key components of successful rehabilitation. Inoculation with earthworms is a strategy for accelerating mine site rehabilitation, but little is known on the effects of bauxite residue properties on earthworm survival and viability. In the current study, earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were exposed for 28days to a series of bauxite residue/soil treatments (0, 10, 25, 35, 50, 75 and 100% residue) to evaluate possible toxic effects on earthworms, investigate the bioavailability of relevant elements (e.g. As, Cr, V), and assess the risk of element transfer. Results showed that soil containing ≥25% residue (pH≥9.8; ESP≥18.5%; extractable Na≥1122mg/kg) significantly impacted survival (mortality ≥28%) and reproduction (cocoon production inhibition ≥76%) of the exposed earthworms. Alkalinity, sodicity and bioavailable Na were identified as major factors causing toxicity and some earthworms were observed to adopt compensative response (i.e. swollen body) to cope with osmotic stress. Conversely, soil containing 10% residue (pH=9.1; ESP=9.2%; extractable Na=472mg/kg) did not elicit significant toxicity at the organism level, but biomarker analysis (i.e. superoxide dismutase and catalase) in earthworm coelomocytes showed an oxidative stress. Furthermore, earthworms exposed to soil containing ≥10% residue took up and accumulated elevated concentrations of Al, As, Cr and V in comparison to the control earthworms. We concluded that earthworm inoculation could be used in future rehabilitation programmes once the key parameters responsible for toxicity are lowered below specific target values (i.e. pH=9.1, ESP=18.5%, extractable Na=1122mg/kg for Eisenia fetida). Nonetheless, trace element uptake in earthworms should be regularly monitored and the risk to the food chain further investigated.

Hydrogeochemical assessment of groundwater quality in greenhouse intensive agricultural areas in coastal zone of Tunisia: Case of Teboulba region

The intensive greenhouse crop production in coastal zone of Tunisia as Monastir and especially Teboulba area has increased the demand on groundwater resources for irrigation. Groundwater, which represents one of the major water resources, is vulnerable to quality degradation due to over exploitation for agricultural activities and increase of anthropogenic activities. The study has been carried out to assess the evolution of hydrochemical properties of Monastir aquifers. Water samples, collected from forty-six origins between February 2016 and March 2017, were analyzed for physicochemical parameters. The results indicate high salinity and high concentration of nutrient and metals trace elements in Teboulba groundwater. Results also indicate that some elements as Cadmium and nitrate concentrations are above the Tunisian recommended irrigation water limits but remain below FAO limits. The results of the study suggest that greenhouse intensive agricultural activities, including excessive fertilization and irrigation are among processes regulating the nutrient chemistry in the groundwater of this region. Assessment of groundwater chemical composition showed a seasonal variability given that groundwater is undergoing an important mineralization process and is not suitable for irrigation under ordinary conditions. The seasonal evolution of geochemical facies is controlled by complex processes (natural and/or anthropogenic activities). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that physicochemical variations are regulated by the combination of different processes: natural geochemical; agricultural and industrial activities. Result from Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) indicates a spatial variability of hydrochemical characteristics of Teboulba groundwater.

The paleozoic Jalal Abad mafic complex (Central Iran): Implication for the petrogenesis

The Jalal Abad magmatic rocks are located at the southeastern edge of the Kashmar-Kerman tectonic zone, which includes Cadomian magmatic rocks and sedimentary strata intruded by several Silurian alkaline plutons and associated dikes. They have typical alkaline kaersutite and alkaline to per-alkaline pyroxene and are characterized geochemically by enrichment in LREE, Nb and Ta, and high concentrations of incompatible trace elements, demonstrating alkaline features with typical ocean island basalt signatures. Chondrite-normalized REE and multi-element spider diagrams along with High 206Pb/204Pb ratios (18.46–19.83) for the Jalal Abad gabbro, diorite, and dibasic dikes indicate involvement of an OIB-like source during the formation of these rocks. Modeling of bulk–rock trace elements and Sr–Nd isotopes suggest that magmas were generated by a pair of HIMU-EM1- like mantle source, consistent with a plume mantle origin in a within-plate rift zone. The melting took place in garnet stability field and the fractional crystallization played a major role in magmatic evolution of the mantle-derived parental magma. The Jalal Abad mafic rocks have U–Pb zircon ages of 425.5 ± 8.6 Ma and along with other Ordovician to Silurian rocks in different parts of the Iranian plate are related to the extensional tectonic regime responsible for the rifting of Cadomian fragments from northern Gondwana and the opening of Paleo-Tethys. Our findings indicate that the rifting and seafloor spreading of Paleo-Tethys and the formation of its oceanic crust were intensely influenced by a mantle plume activity in the early Paleozoic.

Contents of five trace elements in different tissues of four species of mussels in Lake Chaohu and their spatial variation

蚌类在湿地生态系统元素的富集与转化过程中发挥重要作用.以巢湖常见扭蚌（Arconaia lanceolata）、三角帆蚌（Hyriopsis cumingii）、褶纹冠蚌（Cristaria plicata）和圆顶珠蚌（Unio douglasiae）为对象，分析其内脏团、外套膜（包含鳃，下同）和斧足中5种微量元素（Cu、Zn、As、Cd、Pb）的含量.结果表明：5种元素在4种蚌体内均有检出，除Zn在圆顶珠蚌组织间表现为外套膜>内脏团>斧足外，4种蚌体组织间5种微量元素含量均表现为内脏团 > 外套膜 > 斧足；4种蚌类各微量元素平均含量均表现为Zn > Cu > As > Pb > Cd；Cu和Pb在4种蚌类中的平均含量表现为扭蚌 > 褶纹冠蚌 > 圆顶珠蚌 > 三角帆蚌，扭蚌各组织中Pb含量是其他3种蚌类的2.62~6.99倍，Zn的各平均含量表现为圆顶珠蚌 > 扭蚌 > 三角帆蚌 > 褶纹冠蚌，As表现为圆顶珠蚌 > 三角帆蚌 > 褶纹冠蚌 > 扭蚌，Cd表现为扭蚌 > 圆顶珠蚌 > 三角帆蚌 > 褶纹冠蚌，Cd在圆顶珠蚌和扭蚌中的含量是三角帆蚌和褶纹冠蚌的2.75~6.08倍.不同种类之间微量元素含量的差异大于同一种类微量元素含量的空间差异.微量元素污染较重的河口区蚌体组织具有较高的微量元素含量，污染较轻的河口中蚌体组织各微量元素含量也相对较低，表明蚌类可作为巢湖水体微量元素污染监测的指示生物.4种蚌类中Pb、Cd、As含量均未超出国家食品安全标准的限定值.;Mussels play an important role in the enrichment and transformation of elements in wetland ecosystems. In this study, Arconaia lanceolata, Hyriopsis cumingii, Cristaria plicata, and Unio douglasiae were used to analyze the content of five trace elements (Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb) in different tissues (visceral mass, mantle containing gills, foot ). The results showed that all five elements were detected in four species of mussels. The average content of each element in the tissues of the four species of mussels was visceral mass > mantle > foot, except for the average content of Zn in the tissues of U. douglasiae was shown as mantle > visceral mass > foot. The average content of each trace element in the four species of mussels was Zn>Cu>As>Pb>Cd; The average contents of Cu and Pb in the four species of mussels were expressed as A. lanceolata > C. plicata > U. douglasiae > H. cumingii. The content of Pb in the tissues of A. lanceolata was 2.62-6.99 times of the other three mussels. The average content of Zn is expressed as U. douglasiae > A. lanceolata > H. cumingii > C. plicata, As is expressed as U. douglasiae > H. cumingii > C. plicata > A. lanceolata, Cd appears as A. lanceolata > U. douglasiae > H. cumingii > C. plicata, the content of Cd in U. douglasiae and A. lanceolata is 2.75-6.08 times of H. cumingii and C. plicata. The difference in the content of trace elements between different species is greater than the spatial difference in the content of trace elements of a certain kind. Mussels in the estuary of Lake Chaohu, where the trace element is polluted heavily, have a higher content of trace elements and the contents of trace elements in tissues in estuaries with less pollution are also relatively low, indicating that mussels can be used as indicator organisms for monitoring of trace element pollution in Lake Chaohu. The contents of Pb and Cd in the four mussels did not exceed the limit of the national food safety standards, but the safety risks caused by As accumulation in H. cumingii and U. douglasiae were not excluded, and large quantities of food were not recommended.

Tectono-magmatic Interplay and Related Metasomatism in Gabbros of the Chenaillet Ophiolite (Western Alps)

Abstract The Jurassic Chenaillet ophiolite in the Western Alps consists of a gabbro–mantle association exhumed to the seafloor through detachment faulting and partly covered by basaltic lavas. One of the Chenaillet gabbroic bodies includes mylonites that are transected by a network of felsic veins, thereby testifying to the interplay of ductile shearing and magma emplacement. The deformed gabbros preserve clinopyroxene porphyroclasts of primary magmatic origin, which are typically mantled by amphibole (titanian edenite) and minor secondary clinopyroxene. Titanian edenite and secondary clinopyroxene also occur as fine-grained syn-kinematic phases locally associated with fine-grained plagioclase. The felsic veins are made up of anorthite-poor plagioclase and minor titanian edenite. Geothermometric investigations document that the ductile gabbro deformation and the crystallization of the felsic veins occurred at 765 ± 50 °C and 800 ± 55 °C, respectively. With respect to undeformed counterparts, the deformed gabbros are variably enriched in SiO2 and variably depleted in Mg/(Mg + Fetot2+) and Ca/(Ca + Na). In addition, the deformed gabbros show relatively high concentrations of incompatible trace elements such as rare earth elements (REE), Y, Zr and Nb. The felsic veins are characterized by low Mg/(Mg + Fetot2+) and Ca/(Ca + Na), high SiO2 and high concentrations of incompatible trace elements. Relict clinopyroxene porphyroclasts from the deformed gabbros display a rather primitive, mid-ocean ridge-type geochemical signature, which contrasts with the trace element fingerprint of titanian edenite from both the deformed gabbros and the felsic veins. For instance, titanian edenite typically has relatively high REE abundances, with chondrite-normalized REE patterns characterized by a pronounced negative Eu anomaly. A similar trace element signature is shown by secondary clinopyroxene from the deformed gabbros. Amphibole from both the deformed gabbros and the felsic veins displays high F/Cl values. We show that the SiO2-rich hydrous melts feeding the felsic veins were involved in the high-temperature gabbro deformation and that melt–gabbro reactions led to major and trace element metasomatism of the deforming gabbros.

Processing Hard Coal Mining Wastes of the Luhansk Region as Man-Made Metal Deposits

Coal mining waste rock dumps contain a lot of rare and precious microelements and are a single complex mechanism of the chemical and biochemical transformations of substances, and the key role in such transformations belongs to sulfuric acid formed as a result of the vital functions of thionic bacteria Th. Ferrooxidans. The aim of the present work was to develop an environmentally friendly biotechnology for processing coal mining waste rock dumps of the Luhansk Region as man-made metal deposits. The spectral analysis of the waste rocks of the Luhansk Region revealed high concentrations of precious, rare-earth, and trace elements. A high prevalence of gallium and germanium clarkes was found, and their actual concentration in the waste was close to the minimum industrial concentration. The results of chemical analysis of the waste rock for Al2O3 showed that its concentration was close to that in poor bauxites, a traditional raw material for alumina. A method and technology of the biochemical leaching of aluminum, gallium, and germanium, which make use of the natural processes of sulfuric acid formation in waste rock were proposed, and their efficiency was experimentally confirmed. The proposed biochemical technology for the processing of coal mining waste rocks can serve as the basic method for diminishing their environmental impact and rational use of natural resources.

Late Neoarchean volcanic rocks in the southern Liaoning Terrane and their tectonic implications for the formation of the eastern North China Craton

The late Neoarchean metamorphosed volcanic rocks in the southern Liaoning Terrane (SLT) of the eastern North China Craton (NCC) are mainly composed of amphibolites and felsic gneisses and can be chemically classified as basalt (Group#1), basaltic andesite (Group#2), dacite (Group#3) and rhyodacite (Group#4). LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Th–Pb dating reveals that they formed at ~2.53–2.51 ​Ga. Group#1 samples are characterized by approximately flat chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns with low (La/Yb)N ratios and a narrow range of (Hf/Sm)N ratios, and their magmatic precursors were generated by partial melting of a depleted mantle wedge weakly metasomatized by subducted slab fluids. Compared to Group#1 samples, Group#2 samples display strongly fractionated REE patterns with higher (La/Yb)N ratios and more scattered (Hf/Sm)N ratios, indicative of a depleted mantle wedge that had been intensely metasomatized by slab-derived melts and fluids. Group#3 samples are characterized by high MgO and transition trace element concentrations and fractionated REE patterns, which resemble typical high-Si adakites, and the magmatic precursors were derived from partial melting of a subducted oceanic slab. Group#4 samples have the highest SiO2 and the lowest MgO and transition trace element contents, and were derived from partial melting of basaltic rocks at lower crust levels. Integrating these tholeiitic to calc-alkaline volcanic rocks with the mass of contemporaneous dioritic-tonalitic-trondhjemitic-granodioritic gneisses, the late Neoarchean volcanic rocks in the SLT were most likely produced in an active continental margin. Furthermore, the affinities in lithological assemblages, metamorphism and tectonic regime among SLT, eastern Hebei to western Liaoning Terrane (EH–WLT), northern Liaoning to southern Jilin Terrane (NL–SJT), Anshan-Benxi continental nucleus (ABN) and Yishui complex (YSC) collectively indicate that an integral and much larger continental block had been formed in the late Neoarchean and the craton-scale lateral accretion was a dominantly geodynamic mechanism in the eastern NCC.

Cold-Water Corals in Gas Hydrate Drilling Cores from the South China Sea: Occurrences, Geochemical Characteristics and Their Relationship to Methane Seepages

Cold-water corals (CWCs) are frequently found at cold seep areas. However, the relationship between fluid seepage and CWC development is not clear. Here, for the first time, we report the occurrences, species identification, mineralogy, carbon and oxygen isotopes, as well as elemental compositions of fossil CWC skeletons from gas-hydrate-bearing sediment in drilling cores from the South China Sea (SCS). Three sites (GMGS-08, GMGS-09B, and GMGS-16) were investigated but CWCs were only found at one site (GMGS-09B). Interestingly, the CWCs were found in three horizons and they were all embedded with authigenic carbonates. Three genera of fossil CWCs (Crispatotrochus sp., Solenosmilia sp. and Enallopsammia sp.) were identified. The CWC fragments are predominantly aragonite. The CWCs exhibit δ13C values between −8.4‰ and −0.6‰ that are significantly higher than δ13C values of the associated seep carbonates (δ13C values with an average of −55.6‰, n = 19), which indicates a carbon source other than methane for the CWCs. It appears that authigenic carbonates provide a substratum for coral colonization. Bathymetric high points, appropriate water temperature and stronger bottom-water currents at site GMGS-09B might be crucial to keep conditions favorable for the growth of CWCs in the studied area. In addition, high trace-element concentrations of Cr, Ni, Pb, U, Ba, Th, and Sr suggest that the CWCs are influenced by strong fluid seepage that can reach the water-sediment interface, and associated microbial activity. Hence, it also becomes evident that CWCs in hydrocarbon-rich seepage areas not only provide a critical constraint on the impact of fluid emission on the bottom water chemistry, but also are likely to be very precise recorders of the end time of cold seep activity.

Mineralogical and geochemical features of pyrite nodules of sulfide turbidites from the Talgan Cu–Zn massive sulfide deposit (South Urals)

Pyrite nodules were found in thin-layered sulfide ores localized at the flanks of the Talgan Cu‒Zn massive sulfide deposit (South Urals). The nodules consist of (1) an inner core of microgranular pyrite with inclusions of authigenic sulfides and host rock minerals, (2) an intermediate zone of anhedral and subhedral pyrite metacrystals, (3) an outer zone formed by parallel subhedral pyrite crystals and (4) dioctahedral chlorite rimming the pyrite crystals of zone 3. Each zone exhibits specific trace element association, which is identified using LA ICP-MS micromapping. The trace element content of pyrite significantly (by 13 orders of magnitude) decreases in a range of microgranular pyrite of the core an- and subhedral pyrite crystals of the intermediate zone subhedral pyrite crystals of the outer zone (average values, ppm): 131069 Zn, 241001783 Pb, 1323134 As, 10271.81 Co, 4564 Ni, 39038 Ag, 0.10.01 Au, 550.6 Te, 9.80.6 Bi. The subhedral pyrite crystals of the outer zone are enriched (ppm, up to) in Cu (8367), Sb (1627) and Mn (734) relative to microgranular pyrite of the core. The extremely high trace element contents are related to the inclusions of authigenic chalcopyrite, sphalerite, fahlore, gold and silver minerals. The host rock components of the nodules include quartz, calcite, chlorite, illite and REE minerals. The ore clasts of distal sulfide turbidites mixed with hyaloclastites, which were altered during dia- and anadiagenesis, were the source of ore material for the nodules.

Features of the microelement composition of the liquid phase in snow cover from the towns of Usolye-Sibirskoe and Svirsk

We analyze the chemical composition of the liquid phase in the snow cover from industrial and residential zones, as well as the background region, the water area of Lake Baikal, to assess the atmospheric pollution of the towns of Usolye-Sibirskoe and Svirsk. We have determined the concentrations of trace elements (Fe, Co, Mn, V, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Th, U, and Hg), and most of which have a high toxicity degree. The study has resulted in the identification of priority elements that pollute the atmosphere of the two cities, which differ significantly in the specifics of core enterprises. For the town of Usolye-Sibirskoe, such toxic elements in the liquid phase of snow are Hg, Zn and Pb; for the town of Svirsk – As and V. According to the dispersal halos of pollutants, we determined that their highest concentrations are in the industrial zones of the towns. At the same time, these elements have increased concentrations in the snow meltwater of residential areas of cities as well as in the water area of the Angara River, which is significant as the main source of drinking water supply to the region and fishery facilities. The revealed high concentrations of trace elements in the liquid phase of the snow cover show that a significant part of the pollutants is in the most dangerous dissolved mobile forms. Even in the period of a sharp decrease in the technogenic emission of potentially toxic elements, industrial sites of the investigated cities remain the main sources of air pollution.

Chemical and Isotope Studies of Zakher Lake and Its Possible Risk on the Geoenvironment, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

This study concerns the occurrence of pollutants in Zakher Lake, Al Ain, UAE, which are relevant to the water supply and impact on ecosystem. Lake water and sediment samples were collected from the lake and were analyzed for different chemical and physical properties. In-situ measurements of temperature, pH, EC and TDS and Rn-222 activity were carried out using a WTW-COND-330I and RAD7 instrument with errors of < 5%. The analyses of trace and major elements were performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) Varian 715 with errors < 5%. The results reveal high concentrations of Na, K, Mg and Ca, Fe, Mn, Al, Sr, Ba and Pb in water samples of the lake, which are higher than permissible limits for drinking and irrigation. Variable concentrations of these elements were found in the sediment samples. In addition, radon isotope (Rn-222) data in the lake water indicate activity values below the detection limit of the instrument. The high concentrations of major and trace elements support the idea that the water is polluted. The sources of water to the lake are considered mainly anthropogenic due to the relatively high activity of Rn-222 in surrounding groundwater wells that is not detected in the lake water. Consequently, the lake water is not suitable for drinking, domestic or irrigation purposes and may be considered as a source of environmental hazard in the area.

Evaluation of treatment efficiency of coal mine drainage and impact on surrounding waters for selected coal mines

Coal mine water usually has high content of trace elements, leading to contamination of surrounding water bodies. Water treatment technologies are used to remove organic and inorganic matters from coal mine water. To evaluate the treating efficiency of conventional and advanced treatment on coal mine drainage, samples of coal mine, carbonate, surface water, and treated water from the treatment processes were collected and analysed. It turns out that the conventional treatment processes can hardly remove both major ions and trace elements in coal mine water. Reverse osmosis technology can reject major ions effectively, but weak in trace elements removal. The analysis of surface water quality suggested contamination by coal mine water in the coal-mine district. To control the contamination and reuse the coal mine water effectively and safe, it is necessary to evaluate more carefully the efficiency of water treatment and potential environment impact of coal mine water on the surrounding surface and ground waters.

Cadomian crust of Eastern Iran: evidence from the Tapeh Tagh granitic gneisses

ABSTRACT Late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian (Cadomian) magmatic rocks are abundant in Iran, but their occurrence in east-central Iran is voluminous. This paper reports, for the first time, on the Cadomian rocks of the eastern Iranian region known as Tapeh Tagh and deals with their geochemistry and uranium-lead (U-Pb) zircon ages. The Tapeh Tagh region contains masses of Cadomian meta-igneous rocks (including various types of granitic gneiss) and overlying meta-sedimentary rocks. The granitic gneisses show tectonic contact with metasedimentary rocks and their connection appears to have been obscured during the younger tectonic movements. The granitic gneisses show mylonitic texture with quartz ribbons and feldspar augen. Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry U-Pb dating of zircon grains, separated from medium to coarse-grained gneissic rocks, consistently yielded near concordant to discordant pairs of 527 ± 5 and 522 ± 10 Ma. Geochemically, these rocks show a felsic composition with SiO2 content varying from 70.30 to 79.63 wt.%, a high content of FeO(t), alkalis, and incompatible trace elements (Zr, Nb), along with high ratios of Ga/Al and FeO(t)/MgO. They have fractionated rare earth element (REE) patterns with La/Yb = 9.1–24.7. Eu shows depletion with Eu/Eu*<1. The highly fractionated granites of the Tapeh Tagh are geochemically classified into the volcanic arc granites (VAG) and within plate granite.The granitic gneisses are geochemically and geochronologically similar to other Cadomian granites and gneisses in other parts of Iran as well as the Cadomian magmatic rocks from Turkey. These widely disseminated Cadomian basement rocks in Iran and Turkey are considered as fragments of Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian continental arcs that formed the northern active margin of Gondwanaland.

Pollution and Health Risk Assessment of Carcinogenic Elements As, Cd, and Cr in Multiple Media—A Case of a Sustainable Farming Area in China

The high concentrations of trace elements in the environment, especially the carcinogenic elements Cr, Cd, and As, in populated areas can lead to an increased non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk in humans via the effective exposure pathways (inhalation and dermal contact). In this study, the concentrations of the trace elements Cd, Cr, and As in four media were comprehensively evaluated by collecting samples from atmospheric precipitates (A), wheat (W), soil (S), and groundwater (G) in the agricultural plain. This study not only considers the health risk level, but also focuses on the relationship between soil properties and the soil–wheat system. First, according to the results of the analysis, the concentration of carcinogenic elements in atmospheric precipitates was higher than that in other media. The sequence follows the order A &gt; S &gt; W &gt; G. Moreover, the input flux of A was at a relatively higher level (determined via an input flux calculation) than other farming areas. Second, the pollution of Cr, Cd, and As in A and S were analyzed using the geoaccumulation method, and the level of Cd reached mild to moderate pollution. In addition, it was found that the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of Cd were much higher than those of As and Cr in the soil–wheat system. Furthermore, it was found that the negative relationship between BAFs and pH, CEC (cation exchange capacity), Corg (soil organic carbon), and clay was significant. Lastly, the hazard quotient (HQ) of the non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk (CR) of the three elements in multiple media were calculated using the health risk model. The HQ results showed that the total non-carcinogenic risk index (HI) of Cd, As, and Cr in the multiple-media did not exceed the risk limit (1.00), and there was no significant risk to the locally exposed population. However, the total carcinogenic risk index (TCR) indicated that the risk index of Cr, As and Cd in multiple media exceeded the safety index range (≈10−6–10−4), and the three elements posed a significant carcinogenic risk to local residents via the main pathways. In terms of individual elements, the risk of cancer was highest via the ingestion of the carcinogenic element Cd in G and W.

The effects of amphibolite facies metamorphism on the trace element composition of pyrite and pyrrhotite in the Cambrian Nairne Pyrite Member, Kanmantoo Group, South Australia

The trace element composition of pyrite has been used to explore for hydrothermal ore deposits and to understand ore-forming processes. However, the effects of metamorphism on the trace element distribution in pyrite have received relatively limited attention. In this study, laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of pyrite and pyrrhotite, along with minor amounts of sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and galena, are used to evaluate the effects of amphibolite facies metamorphism on the trace element distribution and remobilization of metals in iron sulfides in the clastic sediment-hosted Cambrian Nairne Pyrite Member (NPM), South Australia. The NPM and the Mt. Torrens Pb-Zn-Ag prospect, which occur near the base of the Kanmantoo Group, preserve irregularly zoned subhedral to euhedral metamorphic pyrite (Py1) and anhedral pyrrhotite (Po1), along with relatively minor quantities of remobilized anhedral pitted and cataclastic pyrite (Py2a) in quartzofeldspathic rocks and anhedral inclusion-poor pyrite (Py2b) in calc-silicate rocks that armor or cross-cut earlier formed Py1. Rare anhedral secondary melnikovite pyrite (Py3) locally formed on the margins of Py1 and Py2a. Trace element studies show that Py1 in the NPM at Brukunga and Ironstone Ridge contains mean values of 1254 ppm Co, 123 ppm Ni, 2167 ppm As, 16 ppm Se, 10 ppm Cu, 25 ppm Zn, and 15 ppm Pb, whereas Py1 in the Mt. Torrens prospect contains mean values of 2312 ppm Co, 263 ppm Ni, 1835 ppm As, 95 ppm Se, 9 ppm Cu, 6 ppm Zn, and 9 ppm Pb. Rare inclusion-rich cores of Py1 show higher concentrations of trace elements than inclusion-free rims with minor amounts of chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite forming along grain boundaries or in fractures within pyrite. This is interpreted to be the result of the release of Cu, Pb, and Zn from pyrite as it recrystallized. Remobilization of these elements then formed discrete sulfides at the millimeter to centimeter scale, with some exceptions at the meter scale where chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena, along with other sulfides and sulfosalts, formed in veins and tension gashes. These observations suggest that remobilization of trace metals, including Cu, Pb, and Zn, did not migrate more than a few meters at most. Moreover, despite the recrystallization of pyrite and pyrrhotite and subsequent remobilization of some trace elements (i.e., Co, Ni, As), which were structurally bound in these Fe sulfides, still retain elevated concentrations at amphibolite facies conditions.Remobilization of metals from the NPM during metamorphism to form Cu-Au (e.g., Kanmantoo) and Pb-Zn-Ag-(Cu-Au) (e.g., Angas, Wheal Ellen) deposits in the Tapanappa Formation stratigraphically higher in the Kanmantoo Group seems unlikely. However, it is possible that one source of metals for these deposits could have been leached from the NPM and carried in large hydrothermal cells prior to metamorphism. Such a scenario is consistent with previously published sulfur isotope data for sulfides from the NPM, and Cu-Au and Pb-Zn-Ag-(Cu-Au) deposits, which indicate that sulfur derived from the NPM and pyritic schists in the Kanmantoo Group was a likely source of sulfur for the base and precious metal deposits.

Fungal abundance and diversity as influenced by properties of Technosols developed from mine wastes containing iron sulphides: A case study from abandoned iron sulphide and uranium mine in Rudki, south-central Poland

Reclamation of mine spoils is a process leading to initiation of soil-forming and biological processes in former mining areas. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the change in soil fungi abundance and diversity depending on Technosols properties as an effect of reclamation in 1970s. The investigation was carried out in the area of the abandoned “Staszic” mine in Rudki village (south-central Poland). Three soil profiles developed from mine wastes were investigated. Basic physicochemical properties and fungal abundance and diversity were determined. The results showed that fungal abundance and species composition is diverse in the studied Technosols, which is closely related to soil properties, in particular with pH, total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) content. Profile R1 represented a site where reclamation (i.e. neutralization of high acidity) did not succeed, therefore the pH of soil was low (3.0–3.9), plant cover was very scarce, and there was a very low concentration of TOC (up to 0.6%) and TN (up to 0.06%). Profile R1 was the most specific in terms of fungal diversity. The most frequent fungal species was acidophilous Acidiella sp. Profile R2 was located in close vicinity of R1 profile, though it represented a site where neutralization succeeded. Therefore, pH was ~7, and high contents of TOC and TN (up to 8% and 0.65% respectively) occurred in the topsoil of profile R2, whereas the subsoil was acidic (pH 3.9) and poor in TOC and TN. Profile R3 was characterized by high pH (7.2–7.6) throughout the profile, high contents of TOC and TN (up to 4.8% and 0.41% respectively) in the topsoil as well as high concentrations of trace elements (e.g. Pb, Zn, Cu). Our analysis showed that the highest fungal diversity was noted in surface horizons. The study confirmed the distinction of surface horizon of profile R2 and the whole profile R3 in terms of fungal species. High fungal abundance and diversity in R2 and R3 soil profile suggests favourable changes in the mycobiota structure as a result of improvement of soil properties due to reclamation works.