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At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
USGS2022

Diatom influence on the production characteristics of hydrate-bearing sediments: Examples from Ulleung Basin, offshore South Korea

The Ulleung Basin Gas Hydrate field expeditions in 2007 (UBGH1) and 2010 (UBGH2) sought to assess the Basin's gas hydrate resource potential. Coring operations in both expeditions recovered evidence of gas hydrate, primarily as fracture-filling (or vein type) morphologies in mainly silt-sized, fine-grained sediment, but also as pore-occupying hydrate in the coarser-grained layers of interbedded sand and fine-grained systems. A commonality across many of these occurrences is the presence of diatoms in the fine-grained sediment. Here we tested fine-grained sediment (median grain size <12.5 μm) associated with hydrate occurrences at four UBGH2 sites (UBGH2-2-2, UBGH2-3, UBGH2-6 and UBGH2-11) to investigate potential impacts of diatoms on efforts to extract methane from hydrate, or to tap hydrocarbon reservoirs beneath hydrate-bearing sediment. Two key considerations are: the extent to which diatoms control sediment mechanical properties, and the extent to which pore-water freshening, which occurs as gas hydrate breaks down during resource extraction, alters the diatom control on sediment mechanical properties. We conducted experiments to measure sediment index properties, sedimentation behavior and compressibility to address these considerations. We relied on scanning electron microscope (SEM) imagery and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) to characterize the sediment mineralogy. Our high-level findings are that at the ∼20–45% (by volume) diatom concentrations observed at these UBGH2 sites, sediment compressibility increases with diatom content, but diatoms only appear to increase porosity and permeability at the highest diatom concentration (∼45%). Our measurements suggest in situ compression indices of 0.35–0.55 and permeabilities on the order of 0.01milliDarcies (1 × 10 −17 m 2 ) can be anticipated at these sites. Importantly, these properties are not expected to vary significantly upon pore water freshening that accompanies gas hydrate dissociation during production.

East Sea, Ulleung Basin↗
USGS2015

A real-time, quantitative PCR protocol for assessing the relative parasitemia of Leucocytozoon in waterfowl

Microscopic examination of blood smears can be effective at diagnosing and quantifying hematozoa infections. However, this method requires highly trained observers, is time consuming, and may be inaccurate for detection of infections at low levels of parasitemia. To develop a molecular methodology for identifying and quantifying Leucocytozoon parasite infection in wild waterfowl (Anseriformes), we designed a real-time, quantitative PCR protocol to amplify Leucocytozoon mitochondrial DNA using TaqMan fluorogenic probes and validated our methodology using blood samples collected from waterfowl in interior Alaska during late summer and autumn (n = 105). By comparing our qPCR results to those derived from a widely used nested PCR protocol, we determined that our assay showed high levels of sensitivity (91%) and specificity (100%) in detecting Leucocytozoon DNA from host blood samples. Additionally, results of a linear regression revealed significant correlation between the raw measure of parasitemia produced by our qPCR assay (Ct values) and numbers of parasites observed on blood smears (R2 = 0.694, P = 0.003), indicating that our assay can reliably determine the relative parasitemia levels among samples. This methodology provides a powerful new tool for studies assessing effects of haemosporidian infection in wild avian species.

Journal of Microbiological Methods↗
USGS2022

Spectral mixture analysis for surveillance of harmful algal blooms (SMASH): A field-, laboratory-, and satellite-based approach to identifying cyanobacteria genera from remotely sensed data

Algal blooms around the world are increasing in frequency and severity, often with the possibility of adverse effects on human and ecosystem health. The health and economic impacts associated with harmful algal blooms, or HABs, provide compelling rationale for developing new methods for monitoring these events via remote sensing. Although concentrations of chlorophyll- a and key pigments like phycocyanin are routinely estimated from satellite images and used to infer algal or cyanobacterial cell counts, current methods are unable to provide information on the taxonomic composition of a bloom. This study introduced a new approach capable of differentiating among genera based on their reflectance characteristics: Spectral Mixture Analysis for Surveillance of HABs, or SMASH. The foundation of SMASH is a multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) algorithm that takes a library of cyanobacteria endmembers and a hyperspectral image as input and estimates the fractional abundance of each genus, plus water, on a per-pixel basis. Importantly, we assume that the water column consists of only pure water and cyanobacteria, implying that our linear spectral unmixing models do not account for other optically active constituents such as suspended sediment and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). We used reflectance spectra for 12 genera measured under a microscope to populate an algal spectral library and applied the SMASH workflow to satellite images from four waterbodies across the United States. Normalized spectral separability scores indicated that the 12 genera were distinct from one another and the MESMA algorithm reproduced known input fractions for simulated mixtures that included all pairwise combinations of genera and water. We used Upper Klamath Lake as an example to illustrate data products generated via SMASH: maps of the normalized difference chlorophyll index and cyanobacterial index, a MESMA-based classification of algal genera, fraction images for each endmember, and a root mean square error (RMSE) image that summarizes uncertainty. For Upper Klamath Lake, these outputs highlighted a complex algal bloom featuring several genera, primarily Aphanizomenon , and intricate spatial patterns associated with gyres. The maximum RMSE constraint imposed on the MESMA algorithm provided a means of avoiding false positive detection of genera not present in a waterbody but must not be set so low as to leave much of an image unclassified in cases where genera included in the library are present. Comparison of endmember fractions with relative biovolumes calculated from field samples indicated that taxonomic information from SMASH was consistent with field observations. For example, the algorithm successfully identified Microcystis in Owasco Lake but avoided misclassifying Asterionella , a genus not yet included in our library, in Detroit Lake. This proof-of-concept investigation demonstrates the potential of SMASH to enhance our understanding of algal blooms, particularly with respect to their spatial and temporal dynamics.

New York, Oregon, Texas↗
USGS2013

Reproductive health of yellow perch Perca flavescens in selected tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay

Reduced recruitment of yellow perch has been noted for a number of years in certain urbanized watersheds (South and Severn Rivers) of the Chesapeake Bay. Other rapidly developing watersheds such as Mattawoman Creek are more recently showing evidence of reduced recruitment of anadromous fishes. In this study, we used a battery of biomarkers to better document the reproductive health of adult yellow perch collected during spring spawning in 2007–2009. Perch were collected in the South and Severn Rivers, Mattawoman Creek and the less developed Choptank and Allen's Fresh watersheds for comparison. Gonadosomatic indices, plasma reproductive hormone concentrations, plasma vitellogenin concentrations and gonad histology were evaluated in mature perch of both sexes. In addition, sperm quantity (cell counts) and quality (total and progressive motility, spermatogenic stage and DNA integrity), were measured in male perch. Many of these biomarkers varied annually and spatially, with some interesting statistical results and trends. Male perch from the Choptank and Allen's Fresh had generally higher sperm counts. In 2008 counts were significantly lower in the perch from the Severn when compared to other sites. The major microscopic gonadal abnormality in males was the proliferation of putative Leydig cells, observed in testes from Severn and less commonly, Mattawoman Creek perch. Observations that could significantly impact egg viability were an apparent lack of final maturation, abnormal yolk and thin, irregular zona pellucida. These were observed primarily in ovaries from Severn, South and less commonly Mattawoman Creek perch. The potential association of these observations with urbanization, impervious surface and chemical contaminants is discussed.

Maryl;Virginia↗
USGS2014

Mycoplasmosis and upper respiratory tract disease of tortoises: a review and update

Tortoise mycoplasmosis is one of the most extensively characterized infectious diseases of chelonians. A 1989 outbreak of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in free-ranging Agassiz's desert tortoises ( Gopherus agassizii ) brought together an investigative team of researchers, diagnosticians, pathologists, immunologists and clinicians from multiple institutions and agencies. Electron microscopic studies of affected tortoises revealed a microorganism in close association with the nasal mucosa that subsequently was identified as a new species, Mycoplasma agassizii . Over the next 24 years, a second causative agent, Mycoplasma testudineum , was discovered, the geographic distribution and host range of tortoise mycoplasmosis were expanded, diagnostic tests were developed and refined for antibody and pathogen detection, transmission studies confirmed the pathogenicity of the original M. agassizii isolate, clinical (and subclinical) disease and laboratory abnormalities were characterized, many extrinsic and predisposing factors were found to play a role in morbidity and mortality associated with mycoplasmal infection, and social behavior was implicated in disease transmission. The translation of scientific research into management decisions has sometimes led to undesirable outcomes, such as euthanasia of clinically healthy tortoises. In this article, we review and assess current research on tortoise mycoplasmosis, arguably the most important chronic infectious disease of wild and captive North American and European tortoises, and update the implications for management and conservation of tortoises in the wild.

The Veterinary Journal↗
USGS2023

Using cyanobacteria and other phytoplankton to assess trophic conditions: A qPCR-based, multi-year study in twelve large rivers across the United States

Phytoplankton is the essential primary producer in fresh surface water ecosystems. However, excessive phytoplankton growth due to eutrophication significantly threatens ecologic, economic, and public health. Therefore, phytoplankton identification and quantification are essential to understanding the productivity and health of freshwater ecosystems as well as the impacts of phytoplankton overgrowth (such as Cyanobacterial blooms) on public health. Microscopy is the gold standard for phytoplankton assessment but is time-consuming, has low throughput, and requires rich experience in phytoplankton morphology. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is accurate and straightforward with high throughput. In addition, qPCR does not require expertise in phytoplankton morphology. Therefore, qPCR can be a useful alternative for molecular identification and enumeration of phytoplankton. Nonetheless, a comprehensive study is missing which evaluates and compares the feasibility of using qPCR and microscopy to assess phytoplankton in fresh water. This study 1) compared the performance of qPCR and microscopy in identifying and quantifying phytoplankton and 2) evaluated qPCR as a molecular tool to assess phytoplankton and indicate eutrophication. We assessed phytoplankton using both qPCR and microscopy in twelve large freshwater rivers across the United States from early summer to late fall in 2017, 2018, and 2019. qPCR- and microscope-based phytoplankton abundance had a significant positive linear correlation (adjusted R 2 = 0.836, p -value < 0.001). Phytoplankton abundance had limited temporal variation within each sampling season and over the three years studied. The sampling sites in the midcontinent rivers had higher phytoplankton abundance than those in the eastern and western rivers. For instance, the concentration (geometric mean) of Bacillariophyta, Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta, and Dinoflagellates at the sampling sites in the midcontinent rivers was approximately three times that at the sampling sites in the western rivers and approximately 18 times that at the sampling sites in the eastern rivers. Welch's analysis of variance indicates that phytoplankton abundance at the sampling sites in the midcontinent rivers was significantly higher than that at the sampling sites in the eastern rivers ( p -value = 0.013) but was comparable to that at the sampling sites in the western rivers ( p -value = 0.095). The higher phytoplankton abundance at the sampling sites in the midcontinent rivers was presumably because these rivers were more eutrophic. Indeed, low phytoplankton abundance occurred in oligotrophic or low trophic sites, whereas eutrophic sites had greater phytoplankton abundance. This study demonstrates that qPCR-based phytoplankton abundance can be a useful numerical indicator of the trophic conditions and water quality in freshwater rivers.

Water Research↗
USGS2002

U-Pb geochronology of zircon and polygenetic titanite from the Glastonbury Complex, Connecticut, USA: An integrated SEM, EMPA, TIMS, and SHRIMP study

U-Pb ages for zircon and titanite from a granodioritic gneiss in the Glastonbury Complex, Connecticut, have been determined using both isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and the sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP). Zircons occur in three morphologic populations: (1) equant to stubby, multifaceted, colorless, (2) prismatic, dark brown, with numerous cracks, and (3) elongate, prismatic, light tan to colorless. Cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging of the three populations shows simple concentric oscillatory zoning. The zircon TIMS age [weighted average of 207Pb/206Pb ages from Group 3 grains-450.5 ?? 1.6 Ma (MSWD=1.11)] and SHRIMP age [composite of 206Pb/238 U age data from all three groups-448.2 ?? 2.7 Ma (MSWD = 1.3)], are interpreted to suggest a relatively simple crystallization history. Titanite from the granodioritic gneiss occurs as both brown and colorless varieties. Scanning electron microscope backscatter (BSE) images of brown grains show multiple cross-cutting oscillatory zones of variable brightness and dark overgrowths. Colorless grains are unzoned or contain subtle wispy or very faint oscillatory zoning. Electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) clearly distinguishes the two populations. Brown grains contain relatively high concentrations of Fe2O3, Ce2O3 (up to ~ 1.5 wt.%), Nb2O5, and Zr. Cerium concentration is positively correlated with total REE + Y concentration, which together can exceed 3.5 wt.%. Oscillatory zoning in brown titanite is correlated with variations in REE concentrations. In contrast, colorless titanite (both as discrete grains and overgrowths on brown titanite) contains lower concentrations of Y, REE, Fe2O3, and Zr, but somewhat higher Al2O3 and Nb2O5. Uranium concentrations and Th/U discriminate between brown grains (typically 200-400 ppm U; all analyses but one have Th/U between about 0.8 and 2) and colorless grains (10-60 ppm U; Th/U of 0-0.17). In contrast to the zircon U-Pb age results, SHRIMP U-Pb data from titanite indicate multiple growth episodes. In brown grains, oscillatory zoned cores formed at 443 ?? 6 Ma, whereas white (in BSE) cross-cutting zones are 425 ?? 9 Ma. Colorless grains and overgrowths on brown grains yield an age of 265 ?? 8 Ma (using the Total Pb method) or 265 ?? 5 Ma (using the weighted average of the 206Pb/238U ages). However, EMPA chemical data identify zoning that suggests that this colorless titanite may preserve three growth events. Oscillatory zoned portions of brown titanite grains are igneous in origin; white cross-cutting zones probably formed during a previously unrecognized event that caused partial dissolution of earlier titanite and reprecipitation of a slightly younger generation of brown titanite. Colorless titanite replaced and grew over the magmatic titanite during the Permian Alleghanian orogeny. These isotopic data indicate that titanite, like zircon, can contain multiple age components. Coupling SHRIMP microanalysis with EMPA and SEM results on dated zones as presented in this study is an efficient and effective technique to extract additional chronologic ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical Geology↗
USGS1999

Hydrobiogeochemical interactions in 'anoxic' limestone drains for neutralization of acidic mine drainage

Processes affecting neutralization of acidic coal mine drainage were evaluated within `anoxic' limestone drains (ALDs). Influents had pH≤3.5 and dissolved oxygen <2 mg/l. Even though effluents were near neutral (pH>6 and alkalinity>acidity), two of the four ALDs were failing due to clogging. Mineral-saturation indices indicated the potential for dissolution of calcite and gypsum, and precipitation of Al 3+ and Fe 3+ compounds. Cleavage mounts of calcite and gypsum that were suspended within the ALDs and later examined microscopically showed dissolution features despite coatings by numerous bacteria, biofilms, and Fe–Al–Si precipitates. In the drain exhibiting the greatest flow reduction, Al-hydroxysulfates had accumulated on limestone surfaces and calcite etch points, thus causing the decline in transmissivity and dissolution. Therefore, where Al loadings are high and flow rates are low, a pre-treatment step is indicated to promote Al removal before diverting acidic mine water into alkalinity-producing materials.

West Virginia↗
USGS2003

An experimental investigation of barite formation in seawater

We report results from time-series decay and sequential leaching experiments of laboratory cultured and coastal plankton to elucidate the mechanisms controlling barite formation in seawater. Batch-cultured diatoms ( Stephanopyxis palmerina ) and coccolithophorids (Emiliania huxleyi) were let to decay in the dark for 8-10 weeks, suspended in aerated seawater. The development of barite crystals was monitored by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A similar experiment was conducted with plankton collected during the spring-bloom in Vineyard Sound (MA). In addition to SEM, suspended particles were sequentially leached for Ba (distilled water rinse; 10% (v/v) HNO3 rinse at room temperature; 30% (v/v) HCl at 80??C overnight; 50% (v/v) HNO3 at 80??C overnight) immediately after collection, and after 10-week decay in seawater, in seawater poisoned with HgCl2, and in seawater spiked with 135Ba. Both experiments showed an increase in the number of barite crystals during decay. The spring-bloom plankton had initially a large pool of labile Ba, soluble in distilled water and cold dilute HNO3 that was lost from the plankton after 10-week decay in both axenic and nonaxenic conditions. In contrast, Ba in the decayed plankton samples was predominantly in forms extracted by hot HCl and hot HNO3 acids, which were attributed to presence of barite Ba and refractory organic Ba respectively. The increase in barite crystal counts under a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), the increase in HCl extractable Ba relative to organic carbon, and the loss of a large fraction of Ba during plankton decay suggest that living plankton consists of a relatively large pool of labile Ba, which is rapidly released during plankton decomposition and acts as the main source of Ba for barite formation in supersaturated microenvironments. Since mass balance indicates that only a small proportion (2 to 4%) of the labile-Ba pool is converted to barite, the availability of microenvironments that could locally concentrate Ba released by plankton decay seems to be the main limiting factor in barite precipitation. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1998

Chemical weathering in a tropical watershed, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: II. Rate and mechanism of biotite weathering

Samples of soil, saprolite, bedrock, and porewater from a lower montane wet forest, the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) in Puerto Rico, were studied to investigate the rates and mechanisms of biotite weathering. The soil profile, at the top of a ridge in the Rio Icacos watershed, consists of a 50–100-cm thick layer of unstructured soil above a 600–800 cm thick saprolite developed on quartz diorite. The only minerals present in significant concentration within the soil and saprolite are biotite, quartz, kaolinite, and iron oxides. Biotite is the only primary silicate releasing significant K and Mg to porewaters. Although biotite in samples of the quartz diorite bedrock is extensively chloritized, chlorite is almost entirely absent in the saprolite phyllosilicates. Phyllosilicate grains are present as 200–1000 μm wide books below about 50 cm depth. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron microprobe analyses indicate that the phyllosilicate grains contain a core of biotite surrounded by variable amounts of kaolinite. Lattice fringe images under transmission electron microscope (TEM) show single layers of biotite altering to two layers of kaolinite, suggesting dissolution of biotite and precipitation of kaolinite at discrete boundaries. Some single 14-Å layers are also observed in the biotite under TEM. The degree of kaolinitization of individual phyllosilicate grains as observed by TEM decreases with depth in the saprolite. This TEM work is the first such microstructural evidence of epitaxial growth of kaolinite onto biotite during alteration in low-temperature environments. The rate of release of Mg in the profile, calculated as a flux through the soil normalized per watershed land area, is approximately 500 mol hectare −1 yr −1 (1.6 × 10 −9 mol Mg m soil −2 s −1 ). This rate is similar to the flux estimated from Mg discharge out the Rio Icacos (1000 mol hectare −1 yr −1 , or 3.5 × 10 −9 mol Mg m soil −2 s −1 ), indicating that scaling up from the soil to the watershed is possible for Mg release. The rate of Mg release from biotite, normalized to Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, is calculated using a mass balance equation which includes the density and volume of phyllosilicate grains, porewater chemistry and flux, and soil porosity. The mean rates of biotite weathering calculated from K and Mg release rates are approximately 6 and 11 × 10 −16 mol biotite m biotite −2 s −1 respectively, significantly slower than laboratory rates (10 −12 to 10 −11 mol biotite m biotite −2 s −1 ). The discrepancy in scaling down from the soil to the laboratory is probably explained by (1) differences in weathering mechanism between the two environments, (2) higher solute concentrations in soil porewaters, (3) loss of reactive surface area of biotite in the saprolite due to kaolinite and iron oxide coatings, and/or (4) unaccounted-for heterogeneities in flow path through the soil.

El Yunque, Luquillo Experimental Forest, Luquillo ↗
USGS1992

Growth of grain contacts in halite by solution-transfer: Implications for diagenesis, lithification, and strength recovery

Lithification of a sediment to form a rock may involve cementation, diagenetic reactions, or compaction under load. In these experiments, convex halite lenses were pressed against fiat halite plates at 50° C in a specially designed microscope stage. A saturated brine surrounded the samples, which were observed during the experiment in transmitted and reflected light. No time-dependent convergence was observed between the two crystals, even at mean normal stresses of up to 14 M Pa at the contact. In all experiments, however, the contact (or neck) between the two crystals grew with time as material dissolved from the surrounding lens surfaces, diffused through the pore fluid, and precipitated at the neck. Neck growth rates did not appear to correlate with the applied load, but did systematically increase as the misorientation between the two crystals decreased. Our analysis of the shapes of fluid inclusions formed along the grain boundary within the neck suggests that the grain boundary energy is about 1.8 times greater than the fluid-solid interfacial energy. Neck growth appears to be driven by the reduction of interfacial energy rather than by mechanical loads. Assuming that the interfacial energy is isotropic, and incorporating some geometric simplifications, two models of neck growth were formulated. The rate-controlling steps in the models were either precipitation or diffusion in the pore fluid. The data fit either model equally well. Both models predict that neck growth rate will be rapid at first but will decrease with time, as was observed. Neck growth will lead to an increase in real area of contact between grains in a granular aggregate even without the introduction of supersaturated solutions and may be important in the induration of sediments and the strengthening of fault gouge.

International Geophysics↗
USGS1997

Rotational reflectance of dispersed vitrinite from the Arkoma basin

Rotational reflectance of dispersed vitrinite provides superior documentation of thermal maturity and a capability for interpreting relative timing between thermal and kinematic events in Arkoma Basin strata characterized by vitrinite reflectances up to 5%. Rotational reflectance (R(rot)) is a more precise and less ambiguous index of thermal maturity than maximum (R'(max)), minimum (R(min)), and random (R(ran)) reflectance. Vitrinite reflectance anisotropy becomes sufficiently large to be measurable (using a microscope equipped with an automated rotating polarizer) at ???2% R(rot) and increases following a power function with increasing thermal maturity. Rotational reflectance data can be used to infer the shape of the vitrinite reflectance indicating surface (i.e. indicatrix) and, in turn, to enhance interpretations of the timing between thermal maxima and compressional tectonic events. Data from three wells in the Arkoma Basin Ouachita frontal thrust belt are used as examples. The absence of offsets in measured R(rot) across thrust faults combined with a predominance of uniaxial vitrinite in the thrust faulted part of the section suggest thermal maximum postdated thrust faulting in the western Ouachita frontal thrust belt of Oklahoma. In contrast, the general absence of offsets in measured R(rot) across thrust faults combined with a predominance of biaxial vitrinite in the thrust faulted part of the section suggest that the thermal maximum was coeval with thrust faulting in the eastern Ouachita frontal thrust belt of Arkansas. The presence of biaxial vitrinite in an allochthonous section and uniaxial vitrinite in an underlying, autochthonous section suggests that the thermal maximum was coeval with listric thrust faulting in the central Arkoma Basin of Oklahoma, and that rotational reflectance data can be used as a strain indicator to detect subtle decollement zones.

Organic Geochemistry↗
USGS2002

Trace element abundances in major minerals of Late Permian coals from southwestern Guizhou province, China

Fourteen samples of minerals were separated by handpicking from Late Permian coals in southwestern Guizhou province, China. These 14 minerals were nodular pyrite, massive recrystallized pyrite, pyrite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid and from ground water; clay minerals; and calcite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid and from ground water. The mineralogy, elemental composition, and distribution of 33 elements in these samples were studied by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS), atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and ion-selective electrode (ISE). The results show that various minerals in coal contain variable amounts of trace elements. Clay minerals have high concentrations of Ba, Be, Cs, F, Ga, Nb, Rb, Th, U, and Zr. Quartz has little contribution to the concentration of trace elements in bulk coal. Arsenic, Mn, and Sr are in high concentrations in calcite. Pyrite has high concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, Mo, Sb, Se, Tl, and Zn. Different genetic types of calcite in coal can accumulate different trace elements; for example Ba, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni, Rb, Sn, Sr, and Zn are in higher concentrations in calcite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid than in that deposited from ground water. Furthermore, the concentrations of some trace elements are quite variable in pyrite; different genetic types of pyrites (Py-A, B, C, D) have different concentrations of trace elements, and the concentrations of trace elements are also different in pyrite of low-temperature hydrothermal origin collected from different locations. The study shows that elemental concentration is rather uniform in a pyrite vein. There are many micron and submicron mosaic pyrites in a pyrite vein, which is enriched in some trace elements, such as As and Mo. The content of trace element in pyrite vein depends upon the content of mosaic pyrite and of trace elements in it. Many environmentally sensitive trace elements are mainly contained in the minerals in coal, and hence the physical coal cleaning techniques can remove minerals from coal and decrease the emissions of potentially hazardous trace elements. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2003

Applicability of tetrazolium salts for the measurement of respiratory activity and viability of groundwater bacteria

A study was undertaken to measure aerobic respiration by indigenous bacteria in a sand and gravel aquifer on western Cape Cod, MA using tetrazolium salts and by direct oxygen consumption using gas chromatography (GC). In groundwater and aquifer slurries, the rate of aerobic respiration calculated from the direct GC assay was more than 600 times greater than that using the tetrazolium salt 2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride (INT). To explain this discrepancy, the toxicity of INT and two additional tetrazolium salts, sodium 3′-[1-(phenylamino)-carbonyl]-3,4-tetrazolium]-bis(4-methoxy-6-nitro) benzenesulfonic acid hydrate (XTT) and 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC), to bacterial isolates from the aquifer was investigated. Each of the three tetrazolium salts was observed to be toxic to some of the groundwater isolates at concentrations normally used in electron transport system (ETS) and viability assays. For example, incubation of cells with XTT (3 mM) caused the density of four of the five groundwater strains tested to decline by more than four orders of magnitude. A reasonable percentage (>57%) of cells killed by CTC and INT contained visible formazan crystals (the insoluble, reduced form of the salts) after 4 h of incubation. Thus, many of the cells reduced enough CTC or INT prior to dying to be considered viable by microscopic evaluation. However, one bacterium ( Pseudomonas fluorescens ) that remained viable and culturable in the presence of INT and CTC, did not incorporate formazan crystals into more than a few percent of cells, even after 24 h of incubation. This strain would be considered nonviable based on traditional tetrazolium salt reduction assays. The data show that tetrazolium salt assays are likely to dramatically underestimate total ETS activity in groundwater and, although they may provide a reasonable overall estimate of viable cell numbers in a community of groundwater bacteria, some specific strains may be falsely considered nonviable by this assay due to poor uptake or reduction of the salts.

Massachusetts↗
USGS2004

The fine structure of the sperm of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)

The fine structural details of the spermatozoon of the round goby are presented for the first time in this study. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic examination of testis reveals an anacrosomal spermatozoon with a slightly elongate head and uniformly compacted chromatin. The midpiece contains a single, spherical mitochondrion. Two perpendicularly oriented centrioles lie in a deep, eccentric nuclear fossa with no regularly observed connection to the nucleus. The flagellum develops bilateral fins soon after emerging from the fossa; each extends approximately 1 μm fro m the axoneme and persists nearly the length of the flagellum.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗
USGS1997

Geochemical characteristics and K-Ar ages of rare-metal bearing pegmatites from the Birimian of southeastern Ghana

The pegmatite-aplite rocks at Mankwadzi (Ejisimanku Hills) in southeastern Ghana are part of the pegmatite district that extends from Cape Coast to Winneba along the Atlantic coastline. The pegmatites are associated with the Cape Coast granite complex and were intruded during the waning phase of the Eburnian Orogeny (∼2.0 Ga). Three muscovite separates from pegmatite give KAr retention ages of 1909 ± 13 Ma , 1965 ± 13 Ma and 2019 ± 14 Ma. A biotite separate from granite yields a KAr age of 1907 ± 13 Ma. These ages are similar to KAr dates previously reported for the Cape Coast granites, indicating that the granites and pegmatites are coeval and probably genetically linked. The pegmatites are enriched in Li, Be, Nb and Sn and considerably impoverished in Rb, Th, Y and REEs. Microscopic examination of quartz from the pegmatites shows a large number of low salinity fluid inclusions that can be divided into two types: (1) one-phase liquid or gas-filled inclusions; and (2) two-phase liquid-vapour inclusions, with the vapour occupying 2–5% of the volume. The homogenisation temperature of the fluid inclusions clusters between 129 and 144°C. These homogenisation temperatures lead to an inferred entrapment temperature of ∼300°C at a pressure of ∼2.5 kbar, which is estimated for the metamorphism of host hornblende schists. The pegmatite fluid inclusions are interpreted as being secondary to the quartz hosts.

Journal of African Earth Sciences↗
USGS1998

Aqueous infrared carboxylate absorbances: Aliphatic di-acids

Aqueous attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra of 18 aliphatic di-carboxylic acids are reported as a function of pH. The spectra show isosbestic points and intensity changes which indicate that Beer's law is obeyed, and peak frequencies lie within previously reported ranges for aqueous carboxylates and pure carboxylic acids. Intensity sharing from the symmetric carboxylate stretch is evident in many cases, so that bands which are nominally due to alkyl groups show increased intensity at higher pH. The asymmetric stretch of the HA − species is linearly related to the microscopic acidity constantof the H 2 A species, with σ p K <0.25 log units; this relationship falls on the same line as previously observed for mono-carboxylic acids. The linear relationship applies to the acidity constant of the HA − species only when the two acid groups are well separated (>2 intervening atoms). The results suggest that aqueous ATR-FTIR may be able to estimate `intrinsic' p K a values of carboxylic acids, in addition to providing quantitative estimates of ionization.

Spectrochimica Acta - Part A: Molecular and Biomol↗
USGS2017

Diet of the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Belize, Central America

Belize contains important habitat for Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) and provides refuge for the highest known population density of this subspecies. As these animals face impending threats, knowledge of their dietary habits can be used to interpret resource utilization. The contents of 13 mouth, 6 digestive tract (stomach, duodenum and colon), and 124 fecal samples were microscopically examined using a modified point technique detection protocol to identify key plant species consumed by manatees at two important aggregation sites in Belize: Southern Lagoon and the Drowned Cayes. Overall, 15 different items were identified in samples from manatees in Belize. Five species of seagrasses (Halodule wrightii, Thalassia testudinum, Ruppia maritima, Syringodium filiforme, and Halophila sp.) made up the highest percentage of items. The red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), was also identified as an important food item. Algae (Ulva sp., Chara sp., Lyngbya sp.) and invertebrates (sponges and diatoms) were also consumed. Variation in the percentage of seagrasses, other vascular plants, and algae consumption was analyzed as a 4-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) with main effects and interactions for locality, sex, size classification, and season. While sex and season did not influence diet composition, differences for locality and size classification were observed. These results suggest that analysis of diet composition of Antillean manatees may help to determine critical habitat and use of associated food resources which, in turn can be used to aid conservation efforts in Belize.

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of th↗