Geochemistry and Petrology of Evaporites Cored from a Deep-Sea Diapir at Site 546 offshore Morocco

These evaporites are in the potash facies. The S isotope ratio suggests that the anhydrite was derived from sea-water of Permian to Scythian age.-K.A.R

Quantitative-spatial assessment of soil contamination in S. Francisco de Assis due to mining activity of the Panasqueira mine (Portugal)

Through the years, mining and beneficiation processes produces large amounts of As-rich mine wastes laid up in huge tailings and open-air impoundments (Barroca Grande and Rio tailings) that are the main source of pollution in the surrounding area once they are exposed to the weathering conditions leading to the formation of AMD and consequently to the contamination of the surrounding environments, in particularly soils. In order to investigate the environmental contamination impact on S. Francisco de Assis (village located between the two major impoundments and tailings) agricultural soils, a geochemical survey was undertaken to assess toxic metals associations, related levels and their spatial distribution, and to identify the possible contamination sources. According to the calculated contamination factor, As and Zn have a very high contamination factor giving rise to 65.4 % of samples with a moderate to high pollution degree; 34.6 % have been classified as nil to very low pollution degree. The contamination factor spatial distribution put in evidence the fact that As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn soils contents, downstream Barroca Grande tailing, are increased when compared with the local Bk soils. The mechanical dispersion, due to erosion, is the main contamination source. The chemical extraction demonstrates that the trace metals distribution and accumulation in S. Francisco de Assis soils is related to sulfides, but also to amorphous or poorly crystalline iron oxide phases. The partitioning study allowed understanding the local chemical elements mobility and precipitation processes, giving rise to the contamination dispersion model of the study area. The wind and hydrological factors are responsible for the chemical elements transport mechanisms, the water being the main transporter medium and soils as one of the possible retention media

Selvitys energiaköyhyydestä

Termillä energiaköyhyys viitataan usein heikossa taloudellisessa asemassa olevien kotitalouksien mahdollisuuksiin selviytyä energiakustannuksista. Energiaköyhyydelle ei ole olemassa yhtä yhtenäistä määritelmää ja myös energiaköyhyyden aiheuttamiin ongelmiin vastataan erilaisin tavoin. Tässä selvityksessä tarkastellaan energiaköyhyyden merkitystä Suomessa. Selvityksessä määritellään energiaköyhyyden käsite ja kartoitetaan kuinka suurta osaa ja minkälaisia kotitalouksia energiaköyhyys voi koskea. Lisäksi selvityksessä arvioidaan miten energiaköyhyyden aiheuttamiin haasteisiin vastataan ja miten niihin olisi tarkoituksenmukaisinta vastata. Arvioinnissa otetaan huomioon muun muassa jo olemassa olevat erilaiset tukijärjestelmät, kuten erilaiset investointituet, asumismenoja alentavat ja toimeentuloa turvaavat tuet sekä energiamarkkinalainsäädäntöön sisältyvä kuluttajansuoja. Selvityksessä kuvataan myös nykytilannetta ja ratkaisukeinoja energiaköyhyyden aiheuttamiin haasteisiin eräissä muissa EU-maissa. Selvityksen mukaan energiaköyhyys koskettaa Suomessa pientä osaa kotitalouksista osana muuta köyhyyttä. Energiaköyhyyden riskiryhmänä korostuvat lähinnä taajama-alueen ulkopuolella isoissa energiatehottomissa asunnoissa asuvat pienituloiset kotitaloudet. Selvitys sisältää toimenpide-ehdotuksia ja suosituksia energiaköyhyysongelman ehkäisemiseksi ja ratkaisemiseksi

Effect of reducing groundwater on the retardation of redox-sensitive radionuclides

Laboratory batch sorption experiments were used to investigate variations in the retardation behavior of redox-sensitive radionuclides. Water-rock compositions were designed to simulate subsurface conditions at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), where a suite of radionuclides were deposited as a result of underground nuclear testing. Experimental redox conditions were controlled by varying the oxygen content inside an enclosed glove box and by adding reductants into the testing solutions

Harmful Elements in Estuarine and Coastal Systems

Estuaries and coastal zones are dynamic transitional systems which provide many economic and ecological benefits to humans, but also are an ideal habitat for other organisms as well. These areas are becoming contaminated by various anthropogenic activities due to a quick economic growth and urbanization. This chapter explores the sources, chemical speciation, sediment accumulation and removal mechanisms of the harmful elements in estuarine and coastal seawaters. It also describes the effects of toxic elements on aquatic flora and fauna. Finally, the toxic element pollution of the Venice Lagoon, a transitional water body located in the northeastern part of Italy, is discussed as a case study, by presenting the procedures adopted to measure the extent of the pollution, the impacts on organisms and the restoration activities

Geochemistry and petrology of evaporites cored from a deep-sea diapir at Site 546 offshore Morocco.

At Site 546, below the Mazagan Escarpment at a water depth of 4km, 36m of salt rock was cored from the top of one of a field of salt domes. In contrast to those evaporites off the axis of Atlantic rifting, the salt at Site 546 may have been deposited in a very early central rift fed by marine waters from Tethys through the Gibraltar or South Atlas fracture zones.-from Author

Geochemistry and petrology of evaporites cored from a deep-sea diapir at site 546 offshore Morocco.

These evaporites are in the potash facies. The S isotope ratio suggests that the anhydrite was derived from sea-water of Permian to Scythian age.-K.A.R