Mineral provenance of Roman lead objects from the Cinca River basin (Huesca, Spain)

A set of 50 lead artifacts, out of which 29 were glandes plumbeae, found at archaeological sites located in the Cinca River basin (Huesca, Spain) were analyzed by MC-ICP-MS to determine lead isotope ratios. A comparison with lead ore deposits exploited by the Romans in the Iberian Peninsula allowed to differentiate two main groups of samples: those manufactured with Pb from nearby Pyrenean or Iberian Range ores (30%), and those from mining areas of Cartagena-Mazarrón in southeastern Spain or S'Argentera in the island of Ibiza (70%). This finding supports the existence of lead-ore extraction in the Central Pyrenees in the Roman period and enhances our understanding of metal supply networks in the region and army provisioning during the Sertorian war

Scanning Laser Ablation-ICP-MS Tracking of Platinum Group Elements in Urban Particles

While it has now been demonstrated that platinum group elements (PGE) are released from automobile catalysts into the environment, less is known about the form in which they are emitted and transported. Here we show that scanning laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (scanning laser ablation-ICP-MS) can identify and track individual particles released from automobile catalysts present in environmental particulates and sediments. Particles with high PGE concentrations were found in the exhaust of gasoline and diesel vehicles equipped with catalytic converters. The PGE-Ce association in individual particles provides a definitive fingerprinting for tracking catalyst particles in environmental compartments, while relative PGE signal intensity is an indication of the catalyst type. Scanning laser ablation-ICP-MS of road and aquatic sediments revealed a few PGE containing catalyst particles and it was possible to identify catalyst types for the origin of these particles

Scanning Laser Ablation-ICP-MS Tracking of Platinum Group Elements in Urban Particles

While it has now been demonstrated that platinum group elements (PGE) are released from automobile catalysts into the environment, less is known about the form in which they are emitted and transported. Here we show that scanning laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (scanning laser ablation-ICP-MS) can identify and track individual particles released from automobile catalysts present in environmental particulates and sediments. Particles with high PGE concentrations were found in the exhaust of gasoline and diesel vehicles equipped with catalytic converters. The PGE-Ce association in individual particles provides a definitive fingerprinting for tracking catalyst particles in environmental compartments, while relative PGE signal intensity is an indication of the catalyst type. Scanning laser ablation-ICP-MS of road and aquatic sediments revealed a few PGE containing catalyst particles and it was possible to identify catalyst types for the origin of these particles

Bioaccumulation of palladium, platinum and rhodium from urban particulates and sediments by the freshwater isopod Asellus aquaticus

The three-way catalytic converters introduced to oxidize and reduce gaseous automobile emissions represent a source of platinum group elements (PGEs), in particular platinum, palladium and rhodium, to the urban environment. Abrasion of automobile exhausts leads to an increase of the concentration of PGEs in environmental matrices such as vegetation, soil and water bodies. The bioaccumulation of Pd, Pt and Rh by the freshwater isopod Asellus aquaticus was studied in natural ecosystems and under laboratory conditions. Owing to the low concentration level (ng g−1) of PGEs in the animals studied, analyses were performed with a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and hafnium, copper, yttrium, rubidium, strontium and lead were monitored for spectral interference correction. Asellus aquaticus collected in an urban river showed a content (mean\ub1s) of 155.4\ub173.4, 38.0\ub134.6, and 17.9\ub112.2 ng g−1 (dry weight) for Pd, Pt and Rh, respectively. The exposure of Asellus aquaticus to PGE standard solutions for a period of 24 h give bioaccumulation factors of Bf: 150, 85, and 7 for Pd, Pt and Rh, respectively. Exposure of Asellus aquaticus to environmental samples for different exposure periods demonstrated that PGE bioaccumulation is time dependent, and shows a higher accumulation for the materials with a higher PGE content. While all three elements have the same uptake rate for exposure to catalyst materials, for exposure to environmental materials they have a different uptake rate which can be attributed to transformations of the PGE species in the environment

Bioaccumulation of palladium, platinum and rhodium from urban particulates and sediments by the freshwater isopod Asellus aquaticus

The three-way catalytic converters introduced to oxidize and reduce gaseous automobile emissions represent a source of platinum group elements (PGEs), in particular platinum, palladium and rhodium, to the urban environment. Abrasion of automobile exhausts leads to an increase of the concentration of PGEs in environmental matrices such as vegetation, soil and water bodies. The bioaccumulation of Pd, Pt and Rh by the freshwater isopod Asellus aquaticus was studied in natural ecosystems and under laboratory conditions. Owing to the low concentration level (ng g−1) of PGEs in the animals studied, analyses were performed with a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and hafnium, copper, yttrium, rubidium, strontium and lead were monitored for spectral interference correction. Asellus aquaticus collected in an urban river showed a content (mean\ub1s) of 155.4\ub173.4, 38.0\ub134.6, and 17.9\ub112.2 ng g−1 (dry weight) for Pd, Pt and Rh, respectively. The exposure of Asellus aquaticus to PGE standard solutions for a period of 24 h give bioaccumulation factors of Bf: 150, 85, and 7 for Pd, Pt and Rh, respectively. Exposure of Asellus aquaticus to environmental samples for different exposure periods demonstrated that PGE bioaccumulation is time dependent, and shows a higher accumulation for the materials with a higher PGE content. While all three elements have the same uptake rate for exposure to catalyst materials, for exposure to environmental materials they have a different uptake rate which can be attributed to transformations of the PGE species in the environment

Examen de muestras minerales de las minas de Bielsa y Eriste

El presente artículo presenta el análisis mineralógico e isotópico de muestras de mineral y escorias de las minas de plomo de Bielsa y Eriste, como parte de un estudio isotópico de este elemento en el Pirineo oscense.This work presents the mineralogical and isotopic analysis of ore and slag samples from the lead mines of Bielsa and Eriste, as part of an isotopic study of this element in the Pyrenees

Iron uptake and distribution in sugar beet plants treated with racemic and meso Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA isomers

1 .pdf copia del póster original presentado por los autores en el Simposio Internacional. Se acompaña de 1 .pdf copia del resumen oficial.The synthetic ferric chelate based on the molecule ethylenediamine-N,N’-bis(hydroxyphenylacetic)acid, commonly named as Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA, is one of the most efficient fertilizers used to correct Fe deficiency in crops growing in calcareous soils. Iron(III)-o,oEDDHA has two diastereoisomers, the meso form and the racemic mixture, which are present in approximately equal amounts in commercial Fe-chelate fertilizer formulations. In previous studies, evidence was presented that Strategy I plants (tomato, pepper [1], bean [2, 3] and cucumber [4]) take up Fe preferentially from the meso chelate form when compared to the racemic one. The aim of the present work was to determine the differences in Fe uptake and distribution inside the plant between both Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA isomers, using the Strategy I species sugar beet, stable Fe isotopes (54Fe and 57Fe) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Both Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA isomers were separated by selective Mg precipitation, then Fe was removed and the resulting o,oEDDHA acid isomers were chelated with 54Fe or 57Fe. Iron-deficient sugar beet plants were treated for 24 hours with i) 30 µM racemic 57Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA : 30 µM meso 54Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA or ii) 30 µM racemic 54Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA : 30 µM meso 57Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA. Roots, xylem sap, old and young leaves were sampled, and the 56Fe, 54Fe and 57Fe contents in all plant materials and nutrient solutions were determined by isotope dilution analysis and ICP-MS. Plants took up Fe preferentially from the meso Fe(III)-o,oEDDHA isomer, independently of the Fe stable isotope used. However, the distribution of the Fe supplied by both isomers inside the plant was different, since the Fe isotope supplied by the meso isomer accumulated preferentially in roots, whereas plant shoot materials (xylem and leaves) had similar contents of the Fe isotopes provided by both isomers. Therefore, it can be concluded that both isomers were equally effective in allocating Fe in aerial plant parts, whereas the meso isomer was more effective in allocating Fe in roots.This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (projects AGL2006-1416 and AGL2007-61948, co-financed with FEDER), the European Commission (EU 6th Framework Integrated Project ISAFRUIT), and the Aragón Government (group A03).Peer reviewe