Cytochrome P450 differences in normal and imposex-affected female whelk Buccinum undatum from the open North Sea

Normal and imposex-affected female Buccinum undatum were sampled from the open North Sea at three locations, one with low, and two with high shipping densities. Cytochrome P450 components and P450 aromatase activity were determined in the microsomal fractions isolated from pooled digestive gland/gonads. Cytochrome P450 aromatase activity was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in normal females collected in the low shipping density area (1,325 +/- 295 fmol/h/mg protein) than levels from imposex animals from a high shipping density area (620 +/- 287 fmol/h/mg protein). A negative correlation was found between aromatase activity and organotin body burden (r = -0.99). Levels of CYP450, cytochrome b5 and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity did not show differences among groups. This is the first field evidence of depressed aromatase activity in imposex affected females, although additional research under laboratory controlled conditions is required to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the development of imposex in this species.     

Residues of 14C-4n-nonylphenol in mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) oocytes and embryos during dietary exposure of mature females to this xenohormone

In order to assess in fish the maternal transfer of alkylphenolic compounds to the progeny, the identification and quantification of the labelled compounds present in oocytes and embryos was conducted after dietary exposure of mature female mosquitofish to 14C-4n-nonylphenol during vitellogenesis and embryogenesis respectively. Radioactivity found in bile and liver extracts accounted for 0.9-0.6 and 0.2-0.1% of ingested radioactivity for females exposed during vitellogenesis and embryogenesis respectively. The amount of extractable radioactivity present in oocytes and embryos was 0.19 and 0.07% of the ingested dose respectively. The radio-HPLC profiles obtained from bile, liver, oocyte and embryo extracts were similar. They showed the presence of 4n-NP-glucuronide as the major metabolite and traces of unchanged 4n-NP. The other metabolites corresponded to 8-hydroxynonylphenol, 9-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-nonanoic acid and para-hydroxybenzoic acid which is the final product of the alkyl chain oxidation. Our results indicate that exposure of ovoviviparous female fish to 4-NP during vitellogenesis and embryogenesis leads to the contamination of the progeny by 4-NP and its metabolites.     

粤西海域水质评价方法的研究及应用

针对海洋水质评价问题,建立了一套先利用主成分分析法明确各水质指标权重关系,继而参考权重关系依照海水水质分类标准建立分类样本,最终通过判别分析方法建立判别函数实现水体自动分类的方案。该方案在粤西海域,水体分类回判符合率达到91.4%。依据自动分类结果绘制了粤西海域2008—2010年水体分布专题图,为粤西海域环境污染防治提供了决策依据。     

广西柳东地区火山岩锆石U-Pb-Hf同位素特征及其对岩浆源区的限定

【研究目的】柳东地区位于右江盆地东缘,近年来该地区早三叠世石炮组中首次发现一套火山岩夹层,为研究盆地东缘的构造演化特征提供了重要依据。【研究方法】本文以新发现的柳东地区火山岩为研究对象,通过LAICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及Hf同位素分析,研究右江盆地东缘火山岩的形成时代及岩浆源区特征。【研究结果】结果表明,火山岩的岩性为凝灰岩-凝灰质熔岩-凝灰质火山角砾岩组合,指示了典型的火山岩特征。其2件凝灰岩样品中锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb加权平均年龄分别为（244.0±1.9） Ma和（247.1±0.9） Ma,锆石微量元素（U、Th、Hf、Nb）表现出大陆岩浆弧属性特征。锆石Hf同位素结果显示ε_Hf （t）为-13.2~-1.2,二阶段模式年龄（T_DM^C）为1.35~2.06 Ga,其岩浆源区主要为地壳物质,平均地壳存留年龄为1.7~2.06 Ga。【结论】该火山岩夹层与其所出露的地层时代基本相符,属于早三叠世末期—中三叠世早期火山喷发产物,火山岩形成于火山弧-同碰撞的构造环境,代表了弧后盆地的沉积环境,与印支期古特提斯洋的闭合相关。该成果为古特提斯构造域的演化研究提供了新的基础资料,具有重要意义。创新点：柳东地区火山岩属于早三叠世末期—中三叠世早期火山喷发产物,形成于印支期古特提斯洋的闭合条件下的火山弧-同碰撞构造环境。     

节理粗糙度研究的新进展

当前采用的节理模型，如果不凭借经验，是不可能准确预测节理的剪切行为的，这已成为争论的热点。这是因为这些模型不能定量地评价节理粗糙度或尺度的重要性。介绍一种新的方法，它用分形几何来调查节理的粗糙度。这种方法已超出了简单地描述粗糙度的“症状”，而是去寻找“原因”。     

广西大厂锡矿铟的地球化学特征及成因机制初探

广西大厂锡矿位于江南古陆西南缘,桂西北海西-印支期被动陆缘裂谷盆地北部的断裂凹陷盆地中,是中国重要的、以锡为主的有色金属矿床。它主要由长坡-铜坑和高峰矿床、拉么矿床、大福楼矿床和亢马矿床等组成,其铟资源量约6 000 t。文章在对长坡-铜坑矿床、高峰矿床以及拉么矿床不同类型围岩（包括花岗岩质岩石）、矿石以及不同矿床类型中矿石矿物（硫化物和氧化物）中的In、Cu、Cd、Sn、Fe、Zn等微量元素分析的基础上,结合不同类型矿床、不同矿物组合中硫化物的微量元素电子探针测试以及硫同位素分析结果,初步认为大厂锡矿岩浆源区是富铟的,在正常的沉积岩中不存在铟的初始富集;In主要赋存于闪锌矿中,与层状和块状的矿体关系密切。在成矿作用过程中,In的分布和富集对矿物组合和矿石类型具有明显的选择性。大厂铟矿的形成是富铟的岩浆源区重融产生含铟岩浆,在岩浆侵位冷却过程中,由岩浆结晶所产生的流体携带In、Cu、Fe、Zn、Sn等成矿元素从岩浆中出溶,形成含In的成矿流体。水-岩反应以及在大气降水来源流体的参与下,导致In、Cu、Fe、Zn、Sn等从成矿流体中沉淀、富集成矿。     

Estuarine conservation and restoration: the Somme and the Seine case studies (English Channel, France)

Megatidal estuaries such as the Seine and the Somme (North-Western France) are rather well delimited and human impacts on them are well understood. Since the middle of the 19th Century, there has been a slow but irreversible degradation of the state of these English Channel estuaries. However, current conservation and restoration strategies tend to freeze habitats in a particular state, their status being defined, most often, through a patrimonial or utilitarian approach. Connectedness between biotopes (sensu habitat+community) has a tendency to be neglected, especially with regard to main ecological gradients, i.e., salinity. In this paper, evaluation methodologies are proposed with the intention of assessing changes to ecosystem functions, under anthropogenic disturbance, controlled or otherwise. The Seine (a heavily industrialised ecosystem) is compared to the Somme (considered here for its pseudo-natural features) in order to discriminate between oceanic processes (siltation and plugging of estuaries) and anthropogenic influences. Preservation and restoration of habitats rely on a robust scientific methodology. The multi-scale approach adopted in the projects presented here relies on sensitive socio-ecological assessment procedures, tools for evaluating ecological quality, and well-built monitoring programmes based upon pertinent indicators. Such managerial tools were used to refine strategies and make them compatible with the sustainable co-development of resources in a European context. This paper demonstrates how scientists were able to acquire and apply knowledge in the field of rehabilitation and restoration. Jointly with managers and policy-makers, they have brought scientific information and socio-economics together in order to answer questions about the restoration of sites or habitats and to anticipate future propositions in the spirit of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).     

Delineating depth to bedrock beneath shallow unconfined aquifers: a gravity transect across the Palmer River Basin

In view of the increasing demand on ground water supplies in the northeastern United States, it is imperative to develop appropriate methods to geophysically characterize the most widely used sources of ground water in the region: shallow unconfined aquifers consisting of well-sorted, stratified glacial deposits laid down in bedrock valleys and channels. The gravity method, despite its proven value in delineating buried bedrock valleys elsewhere, is seldom used by geophysical contractors in this region. To demonstrate the method's effectiveness for evaluating such aquifers, a pilot study was undertaken in the Palmer River Basin in southeastern Massachusetts. Because bedrock is so shallow beneath this aquifer (maximum depth is 30 m), the depth-integrated mass deficiency of the overlying unconsolidated material was small, so that the observed gravity anomaly was on the order of 1 milligal (mGal) or less. Thus data uncertainties were significant. Moreover, unlike previous gravity studies elsewhere, we had no a priori information on the density of the sediment. Under such circumstances, it is essential to include model constraints and weighted least-squares in the inversion procedure. Among the model constraints were water table configuration, bedrock outcrops, and depth to bedrock from five water wells. Our procedure allowed us to delineate depth to bedrock along a 3.5 km profile with a confidence interval of 1.8 m at a nominal depth of 17 m. Moreover, we obtained a porosity estimate in the range of 39% to 44%. Thus the gravity method, with appropriate refinements, is an effective tool for the reconnaissance of shallow unconfined aquifers.