Groundwater and nutrient discharge through karstic coastal springs (Castelló, Spain)

Altres ajuts: Support from the Fulbright Commission for a post-doctoral fellowship to J.G-O. (ref 2007-0516) is gratefully acknowledged. Support for the research of PM was received through the prize ICREA Academia, funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya.Discharge of groundwater and associated chemical compounds into coastal karstic regions, which are abundant in the Mediterranean basin, is envisaged to be significant. In this study, we evaluate the groundwater discharge and its nutrient load to the open karstic site of Badum (Castelló, East Spain). Salinity profiles evidenced that groundwater discharge from coastal brackish springs causes a buoyant fresher layer, as identified with thermal infrared images. Chemical tracers (radium isotopes, dissolved inorganic silicate and seawater major elements) have been used to determine a brackish groundwater proportion in coastal waters of 36% in October 2006 and 44% in June 2007. Based on a radium-derived residence time of 2.7 days in October 2006 and 2.0 days in June 2007, total SGD fluxes have been estimated in 71 500 and 187 000m³ d⁻¹, respectively, with fresh-SGD contributions representing 71% and 85%. The calculated SGD-associated nutrient fluxes, most likely of natural origin, were 1500 and 8300 μmolm⁻² d⁻¹ of DIN and 19 and 40 μmolm⁻² d⁻¹ of DIP in October 2006 and June 2007, respectively. These inputs may actually lead to or enhance P limitation, thereby altering the structure of biological communities in the area

Te-doped MoV-Oxide (M1 phase) for ethane ODH. The role of tellurium on morphology, thermal stability and catalytic behaviour

[EN] Undoped and Te-doped MoV-Oxide (M1 phase) catalysts have been prepared hydrothermally (Te/Mo ratio in the synthesis gel from 0 to 0.17; and heat-treated at 400 or 600ºC in N2 atmosphere), characterized by several physicochemical techniques and tested in the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane. The morphology and microporosity of the catalysts, the nature of V-species on the catalyst surface and the catalytic performance strongly depend on the composition and the heat-treatment temperature. When calcined at 400ºC, the selectivity to ethylene decreases when the amount of tellurium increases, whereas when heat treated at 600ºC, the selectivity to ethylene increases when the Te-loading increases. These trends have been explained on the basis of the good correlation between selectivity to ethylene and the concentration of V4+ species on the surface of catalysts, in which the most selective catalyst is that prepared with a Te/Mo ratio of 0.17 and heat-treated at 600ºC.The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for funding the projects (MINECO/FEDER) : CRTl2018-099668-B-C21, PID2019-106662RBC44, MAT2017-84118- C2-1-R and SEV-2016-0683. A.A. acknowledges Severo Ochoa Excellence Program for his fellowship (BES-2017-080329) . Authors would also like to acknowledge the "A -Team" of the ITQ (Dr. Miguel Palomino, Dr. Susana Valencia and Prof. Fernando Rey) for their assistance in the performance of the adsorption experiments.De Arriba-Mateos, A.; Solsona, B.; Garcia-Gonzalez, E.; Concepción Heydorn, P.; López Nieto, JM. (2022). Te-doped MoV-Oxide (M1 phase) for ethane ODH. The role of tellurium on morphology, thermal stability and catalytic behaviour. Applied Catalysis A General. 643:1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcata.2022.11878011364

Differentiating Lithogenic Supplies, Water Mass Transport, and Biological Processes On and Off the Kerguelen Plateau Using Rare Earth Element Concentrations and Neodymium Isotopic Compositions

Distributions of dissolved rare earth element (REE) concentrations and neodymium isotopic compositions (expressed as εNd) of seawater over and off the Kerguelen Plateau in the Southern Ocean are presented. The sampling took place during the austral spring bloom in October–November 2011 (KEOPS2 project, GEOTRACES process study) and aimed to further the investigations of the KEOPS1 austral summer study in terms of sources and transport of lithogenic material, and to investigate the impact of local biogeochemical cycles on the REE distributions. The REE signature of the coastal eastern Kerguelen Islands waters was characterized by negative europium anomalies (Eu/Eu*) and negative εNd in filtered samples. By contrast, the unfiltered sample showed a positive Eu/Eu* and more radiogenic εNd. These distinct signatures could reflect either differential dissolution of the local flood basalt minerals or differential leaching of local trachyte veins. The dissolved Kerguelen coastal REE patterns differ from those observed close to Heard Island, these latter featuring a positive Eu/Eu* and a less radiogenic εNd (Zhang et al., 2008). These differences enabled us to trace the transport of waters (tagged by the Kerguelen REE signature) 200 km downstream from the coastal area, north of the Polar Front. Northward transport of the central Plateau shallow waters, enriched by both local vertical supplies and lateral advection of inputs from Heard Island, was also evident. However, the transport of Kerguelen inputs southeastward across the Polar Front could not be discerned (possibly as a result of rapid dilution or scavenging of REE signatures), although evidence for such transport was found previously using Ra isotopes (Sanial et al., 2015). Comparison of the REE patterns at stations sampled prior, during and at the demise of the bloom revealed diverse fractionations, including production of significant lanthanum and europium anomalies, which are tentatively ascribed to chemical reactions with various inorganic and biogenic phases, including surface coatings, barite crystals, and biogenic silica

Rare earth elements and Nd isotopes as tracers of modern ocean circulation in the central Mediterranean Sea

Seawater rare earth element (REE) concentrations and Nd isotopic composition (εNd) are increasingly applied as valuable tracers of oceanographic processes such as water mass mixing and lithogenic inputs to seawater. However, their measurements are basically lacking in the Mediterranean Sea water column. This study analyzes 9 seawater stations around the central Mediterranean Sea to clarify the relative importance of external sources, vertical (biogeochemical) processes and lateral water mass transport in controlling REE and εNd distributions. Concentrations of REE do not show nutrient-like profiles with depth, likely indicative of relatively young waters with limited accumulation of remineralized REE. Light REE (LREE) present a non-conservative behavior, which largely peak at surface waters and rapidly decrease with depth. The negative correlation of surface LREE enrichment with offshore distance highlights the influence of continental input from the western Italian coast to the Tyrrhenian surface waters. In contrast to other regions with reported boundary exchange, this process does not modify the εNd values here. On the other side, distributions of dissolved heavy REE (HREE) and εNd display a conservative behavior that can be explained by mixing of western- (MAW and WMDW) and eastern- (LIW and EMDW) originated waters. We test this hypothesis with an Optimum Multi-Parameter Analysis (OMPA) including HREE and εNd parameters. Even though the limited data set, consistent results of water mass fractions are obtained for the four main water masses although with some particularities. While LIW takes on major importance when considering HREE in the model, EMDW fractions are preferentially detected with εNd. This latter finding implies a noticeable deep water flux across the Sicily Strait into the Western Mediterranean that was not clearly evidenced before

Holocene humidity changes in southern Iberia inferred from the geochemical signature of marine sediments

The Mediterranean region is particularly sensitive to global climate variability that critically reflects on its hydrological conditions. A recently published high resolution reconstruction of Holocene Sea Surface Temperature (SST) based on Globigerina bulloides Mg/Ca ratios, set the basis to explore, within a warm climatic period, the impact of North Atlantic oceanographic conditions shaping the properties of the inflowing waters into the Mediterranean Sea. Here we go a step further in establishing the potential links between these oceanographical changes with the hydrological conditions on the southern Iberian Peninsula.This study combines XRF-core-scanner analyses with the radiogenic isotopes characterization (Sr, Nd and Pb) of the terrigenous fraction in core ALB-2 from the Alboran Sea. Results indicate that the most humid conditions developed during the early to middle Holocene with a transition towards drier conditions and colder SST that occurred by the late Holocene. The radiogenic Sr, Nd and Pb records do not show any covariance with the millennial scale oscillations shown in the Zr and K XRF records interpreted as humidity changes. This could suggest that inputs of African dust are not the main controlling factor in the XRF records. In contrast, the Sr isotope record shows a significant transition around the middle Holocene while SSTs show a cooling trend. For an accurate interpretation of that feature, this study also targets a novel approach by characterizing the radiogenic isotope composition of settling particles recovered by moored sediment traps under well characterized meteorological conditions

Auditoria ambiental de l'edifici de l'Àrea de Territori, Medi Ambient, Paisatge i Espai Urbà de l'Ajuntament de Sitges

Aquest projecte realitza una auditoria ambiental de l'edifici de l'Àrea de Territori, Medi Ambient, Paisatge i Espai Urbà de l'Ajuntament de Sitges, com a primer pas per a la implantació d'un sistema de gestió ambiental (SGA), en acord amb el Reglament (CE) nº 761/2001, i la posterior obtenció d'un certificat de gestió i auditories ambientals (EMAS). L'auditoria s'inicia amb la identificació dels aspectes ambientals de l'edifici, mitjançant la recopilació de dades sobre consums energètics i hídrics, la estimació de la generació de residus i enquestes de mobilitat als treballadors. Aquestes dades són utilitzades per determinar els aspectes ambientals significatius i posteriorment, exposar una sèrie de propostes de millora per tal de corregir-los o minimitzar-los, com ara sistemes d'estalvi d'aigua, d'enllumenat, de producció d'electricitat i l'educació ambiental dels treballadors. Per a la implantació d'un SGA en la situació actual de l'edifici, es necessària, entre altres coses, la implantació d'un sistema de registre que arxivi els consums d'aigua, energia i generació de residus, per tal de dur un control de les despeses de cadascun dels vectors. A més, caldrà implementar un Programa de bones pràctiques ambientals en l'oficina per tal de reduir el consum elèctric, d'aigua i generació de residus, i la seva classificació per part dels treballadors.Este proyecto realiza una auditoría ambiental del edificio del Área de Territorio, Medio Ambiente, Paisaje y Espacio Urbano del Ayuntamiento de Sitges, como primer paso para la implantación de un sistema de gestión ambiental, en acuerdo con el Reglamento (CE) nº 761/2001, y la posterior obtención de un certificado de gestión y auditorías ambientales (EMAS). La auditoria se inicia con la identificación de los aspectos significativos del edificio, mediante la recopilación de datos sobre consumos energéticos e hídricos, la estimación de la generación de residuos y encuestas de movilidad a los trabajadores. Estos datos son utilizados para determinar los aspectos ambientales significativos y posteriormente, exponer una serie de propuestas de mejora para corregirlos o minimizarlos, como por ejemplo, sistemas de ahorro de agua, de iluminación, de producción de energía eléctrica y educación ambiental de los trabajadores. Para la implantación de un SGA en la situación actual del edificio, es necesaria, entre otras cosas, la implantación de un sistema de registro que registre los consumos de agua, energía, y la generación de residuos, con la finalidad de llevar un control de los gastos de cada uno de éstos vectores. Además, deberá implementarse un Programa de buenas prácticas ambientales en la oficina con el fin de reducir el consumo eléctrico, de agua y la generación de residuos, y su clasificación a través de los trabajadores.This project focuses on an environmental audit of the building of the Department of Planning, Environment, Landscape and Urban Space, as a first step towards implementing an environmental management system in accordance with Regulation (EC) no. 761/2001, and subsequent acquisition of a certificate of environmental management and audit (EMAS). The audit begins with the identification of the relevant aspects of the building by collecting data on energy and water consumption, the estimation of waste generation and the analysis of worker's mobility patterns. These data are analyzed to identify significant environmental aspects and then, present a set of proposals to minimize the environmental impacts. Such as water saving systems, lighting, electric energy production and environmental education of workers. For the implementation of an EMS in the current building is necessary, the introduction of a registration system to record water consumption, energy and waste generation, in order to keep track of the cost of each of these vectors. It must also implement a program of good housekeeping practices in the office in order to reduce electricity consumption, water and waste generation, and their classification by the workers

Diagnosi ambiental al Parc Natural de l'Alt Pirineu

Descripció del recurs: el 17 de octubre 2012

The GEOTRACES Intermediate Data Product 2014

The GEOTRACES Intermediate Data Product 2014 (IDP2014) is the first publicly available data product of the international GEOTRACES programme, and contains data measured and quality controlled before the end of 2013. It consists of two parts: (1) a compilation of digital data for more than 200 trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) as well as classical hydrographic parameters, and (2) the eGEOTRACES Electronic Atlas providing a strongly inter-linked on-line atlas including more than 300 section plots and 90 animated 3D scenes. The IDP2014 covers the Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian oceans, exhibiting highest data density in the Atlantic. The TEI data in the IDP2014 are quality controlled by careful assessment of intercalibration results and multi-laboratory data comparisons at cross-over stations. The digital data are provided in several formats, including ASCII spreadsheet, Excel spreadsheet, netCDF, and Ocean Data View collection. In addition to the actual data values the IDP2014 also contains data quality flags and 1-? data error values where available. Quality flags and error values are useful for data filtering. Metadata about data originators, analytical methods and original publications related to the data are linked to the data in an easily accessible way. The eGEOTRACES Electronic Atlas is the visual representation of the IDP2014 data providing section plots and a new kind of animated 3D scenes. The basin-wide 3D scenes allow for viewing of data from many cruises at the same time, thereby providing quick overviews of large-scale tracer distributions. In addition, the 3D scenes provide geographical and bathymetric context that is crucial for the interpretation and assessment of observed tracer plumes, as well as for making inferences about controlling processes