Genesis of the Nuri Cu-W-Mo Deposit,Tibet,China:Constraints from in situ Trace Elements and Sr Isotopic Analysis of Scheelite

The Nuri deposit is the only Cu-W-Mo polymetallic deposit with large-scale WO3 resources in the eastern section of the Gangdese metallogenic belt,Tibet,China.However,the genetic type of this deposit has been controversial since its discovery.Based on a study of the geological characteristics of the deposit,this study presents mineralization stages,focusing on the oxide stage and the quartz-sulfide stage where scheelite is mainly formed,referred to as Sch-A and Sch-B,respectively.Through LA-ICP-MS trace element and Sr isotope analyses,the origin,evolutionary process of the oreforming fluid and genesis of the ore deposit are investigated.Scanning Electron Microscope-Cathodoluminescence(SEMCL)observations reveal that Sch-A consists of three generations,with dark gray homogenous Sch-A1 being replaced by relatively lighter and homogeneous Sch-A2 and Sch-A3,with Sch-A2 displaying a gray CL image color with vague and uneven growth bands and Sch-A3 has a light gray CL image color with hardly any growth band.In contrast,Sch-B exhibits a‘core-rim’structure,with the core part(Sch-B1)being dark gray and displaying a uniform growth band,while the rim part(Sch-B2)is light gray and homogeneous.The normalized distribution pattern of rare earth elements in scheelite and Sr isotope data suggest that the early ore-forming fluid in the Nuri deposit originated from granodiorite porphyry and,later on,some country rock material was mixed in,due to strong water-rock interaction.Combining the O-H isotope data further indicates that the ore-forming fluid in the Nuri deposit originated from magmatic-hydrothermal sources,with contributions from metamorphic water caused by water-rock interaction during the mineralization process,as well as later meteoric water.The intense water-rock interaction likely played a crucial role in the precipitation of scheelite,leading to varying Eu anomalies in different generations of scheelite from the oxide stage to the quartz-sulfide stage,while also causing a gradual decrease in oxygen fugacity(fO2)and a slow rise in pH value.Additionally,the high Mo and low Sr contents in the scheelite are consistent with typical characteristics of magmatic-hydrothermal scheelite.Therefore,considering the geological features of the deposit,the geochemical characteristics of scheelite and the O-H isotope data published previously,it can be concluded that the genesis of the Nuri deposit belongs to porphyry-skarn deposit.

Paleoenvironmental Characteristics of Paleogene Lacustrine Source Rocks in the Western Bozhong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,China:Evidence from Biomarkers,Major and Trace Elements

The organic matter(OM)enrichment mechanisms and depositional environment characteristics of lacustrine source rocks in the western Bozhong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin in Northeast China remain controversial.To address these issues,based on Rock-Eval pyrolysis,kerogen macerals,H/C and O/C ratios,GC-MS,major and trace elements,the Dongying Formation Member(Mbr)3(E_(3)d_(3)),the Shahejie Formation mbrs 1 and 2(E_(2)s_(1+2)),and the Shahejie Mbr 3(E_(2)s_(3))source rocks in the western Bozhong Sag were studied.The above methods were used to reveal their geochemical properties,OM origins and depositional environments,all of which indicate that E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)are excellent source rocks,and that E_(3)d_(3)is of the second good quality.E_(3)d_(3)source rocks were formed under a warm and humid climate,mainly belong to fluvial/delta facies,the E_(3)d_(3)sediments formed under weakly oxidizing and freshwater conditions.Comparatively,the depositional environments of E_(2)s_(1+2)source rocks were arid and cold climate,representing saline or freshwater lacustrine facies,and the sediments of E_(2)s_(1+2)belong to anoxic or suboxic settings with large evaporation and salinity.During the period of E_(2)s_(3),the climate became warm and humid,indicating the freshwater lacustrine facies,and E_(2)s_(3)was characterized by freshwater and abundant algae.Moreover,compared with other intervals,the OM origin of E_(3)d_(3)source rocks has noticeable terrestrial input.The OM origin of the E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)are mainly plankton and bacteria.Tectonic subsidence and climate change have affected the changes of the depositional environment in the western Bozhong Sag,thus controlling the distribution of the source rocks,the geochemical characteristics in the three intervals of lacustrine source rocks have distinct differences.Overall,these factors are effective to evaluate the paleoenvironmental characteristics of source rocks by biomarkers,major and trace elements.The established models may have positive implications for research of lacustrine source rocks in offshore areas with few drillings.

Weathering and accumulation of trace elements in the soils of the Porali Plain, Balochistan: repercussions in agriculture

This study is thefirst attempt to assess the nature of the soil,especially on the western side of the Porali Plain in Balochistan;a new emerging agriculture hub,using weathering and pollution indices supplemented by multi-variate analysis based on geochemical data.The outcomes of this study are expected to help farmers in soil manage-ment and selecting suitable crops for the region.Twenty-five soil samples were collected,mainly from the arable land of the Porali Plain.After drying and coning-quarter-ing,soil samples were analyzed for major and trace ele-ments using the XRF technique;sieving and hydrometric methods were employed for granulometric analysis.Esti-mated data were analyzed using Excel,SPSS,and Surfer software to calculate various indices,correlation matrix,and spatial distribution.The granulometric analysis showed that 76%of the samples belonged to loam types of soil,12%to sand type,and 8%to silt type.Weathering indices:CIA,CIW,PIA,PWI,WIP,CIX,and ICV were calculated to infer the level of alteration.These indices reflect mod-erate to intense weathering;supported by K_(2)O/AI_(2)O_(3),Rb/K_(2)O,Rb/Ti,and Rb/Sr ratios.Assessment of the geo-ac-cumulation and Nemerow Pollution indices pinpoint rela-tively high concentrations of Pb,Ni,and Cr concentration in the soils.The correlation matrix and Principal Compo-nent Analysis show that the soil in this study area is mainly derived from the weathering of igneous rocks of Bela Ophiolite(Cretaceous age)and Jurassic sedimentary rocks of Mor Range having SEDEX/MVT type mineralization.Weathering may result in the undesirable accumulation of certain trace elements which adversely affects crops.

Distribution, health and ecological risk assessments of trace elements in Nigerian oil sands

The Nigerian oil sands represent the largest oil sand deposit in Africa, yet there is little published information on the distribution and potential health and ecological risks of trace elements in the oil resource. In the present study, we investigated the distribution pattern of 18trace elements(including biophile and chalcophile elements) as well as the estimated risks associated with exposure to these elements. The results of the study indicated that Fe was the most abundant element, with a mean concentration of 22,131 mg/kg while Br had the lowest mean concentration of 48 mg/kg. The high occurrence of Fe and Ti suggested a possible occurrence of ilmenite(Fe TiO_(3)) in the oil sands. Source apportionment using positive matrix factorization showed that the possible sources of detected elements in the oil sands were geogenic, metal production, and crustal. The contamination factor, geo-accumulation index, modified degree of contamination, pollution load index, and Nemerow pollution index indicated that the oil sands are heavily polluted by the elements. Health risk assessment showed that children were relatively more susceptible to the potentially toxic elements in the oil sands principally via ingestion exposure route(HQ > 1E-04). Cancer risks from inhalation are unlikely due to CR < 1E-06 but ingestion and dermal contact pose severe risks(CR > 1E-04). The high concentrations of the elements pose serious threats due to the potential for atmospheric transport, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability.

Trace elements in magmatic and hydrothermal quartz:Implications on the genesis of the Xingluokeng Tungsten Deposit,South China

The Xingluokeng deposit is the largest gran-ite-related tungsten deposit within the Wuyi metallogenic belt in South China.The Xingluokeng intrusion primarily consists of porphyritic biotite granite,biotite granite,andfine-grained granite.The deposit is represented by veinlet-disseminated mineralization with K-feldspathization and biotitization,alongside quartz-vein mineralization with gre-isenization and sericitization.This study investigates in-situ analyses of quartz compositions from both the intrusion and hydrothermal veinlets and veins.Trace element correlations indicate that trivalent Al^(3+)and Fe^(3+)replace Si^(4+)within the quartz lattice,with monovalent cations(such as Li^(+),Na^(+),and K^(+))primarily serving as charge compensators.Low Ge/Al ratios(<0.013)of quartz from granites suggest a mag-matic origin.The low Al/Ti and Ge/Ti ratios,accompanied by high Ti contents in quartz,suggest that the porphyritic biotite granite and biotite granite are characterized by rela-tively low levels of differentiation and high crystallization temperatures.In contrast,thefine-grained granite exhibits a higher degree of fractionation,lower crystallization tem-peratures,and a closer association with tungsten miner-alization.Ti contents in quartz from quartz veins indicate Qz-Ⅰformed at temperatures above 400°C,while Qz-Ⅱto Qz-Ⅴformed at temperatures below 350°C.Variations in different generations of quartz,as indicated by Al content and(Al+Fe)/(Li+Na+K)ratio,suggest that Qz-Ⅰprecipi-tated from a less acidicfluid with a stable pH,whereas Qz-Ⅱto Qz-Ⅴoriginated from a more acidicfluid with notable pH variations.Consequently,alkaline alteration and acidic alteration supplied the essential Ca and Fe for the precipita-tion of scheelite and wolframite,respectively,highlighting a critical mechanism in tungsten mineralization at the Xin-gluokeng deposit.

Mobility of Major and Trace Elements during the Bauxitization Processes in Ngaoundal Area (Adamawa Cameroon): Implication on Mining Perspectives

This study was focused to assess major and trace elements in bauxitic duricrusts from Ngaoundal and its surroundings in order to establish their mining interest. To this end, fieldworks, mineralogical and geochemical analyses were carried out. Four facies of duricrust were identified and characterized from the summit to the top of the slope of the Ngaoundal mountain: scoriaceous, pisolitic, nodular and massive. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses performed on 16 samples, revealed a significant concentration of Al2O3 mainly in the scoriaceous facies (over 45% in grade), moderate in Fe2O3 (averaging 23.69%) and SiO2 (averaging 21.7%). Trace elements were generally low, excluding Cr (421 ppm on average), Zr (327 ppm on average and V (213 ppm on average). In addition, the limited quantities of alkalis (Na2O, K2O) and alkaline earths metals (MgO, CaO) coupled with the very high values of Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and Mineralogical Index of Alteration (MIA), (more than 99%) attest to the intense weathering of the studied materials. Allitization and monosiallitization constituted the crystallochemical phenomena that have led to the development of bauxitic minerals. More than 90% of gibbsite in scoriaceous facies, 52.21% - 76.01% of kaolinite in pisolitic facies and more than 40% of hematite in nodular facies were quantified. The relationships between the constitutive components indicated their interdependency during the bauxitization phenomenon. The mineralogical and geochemical properties highlighted the mining interest of the studied duricrusts to be valorized.

Evaluation of Trace Elements in the Soil of Typical Peach Orchards in Zunyi City

[Objectives]This study was conducted to clarify the enrichment and paucity of trace elements in the soil environment of peach orchards in Zunyi City,and to provide reference for supplementary application of microelement fertilizers and high-quality peach production in peach orchards.[Methods]Taking the soil of three typical peach orchards(Taoli Renjia peach orchard,Pengrui peach orchard and Taohuadao peach orchard)in Shenxi Town,Honghuagang District,Zunyi City as the research object,the contents of trace elements in soil were analyzed through field sampling and indoor determination of trace elements.[Results]The effective contents of trace elements in the soil of peach orchard bases in the study area were at a medium level,and the soil of the peach orchards was rich in available Fe and Se.The contents of available Cu,Mo and Mn were relatively rich.The contents of available B were not high overall.The contents of available Zn were at a moderate to low level overall.The soil of Taoli Renjia peach orchard was relatively rich in trace elements.[Conclusions]The research results can provide a scientific basis for the production of high-quality crispy peaches in peach orchards.

Trace Elements of Multi-stage Minerals and Titanite U-Pb Dating for the Gneisses from Liansan Island,Sulu UHPM Belt

Gneisses with anatectic characteristics from the Liansan island in the Sulu UHPM(ultra-high pressure metamorphic)belt were studied for petrography,titanite U-Pb dating and mineral geochemistry.Three origins of garnets are distinguished:metamorphic garnet,peritectic garnet and anatectic garnet,which are formed in the stages of peak metamorphism,retrograde anatexis and melt crystallization,respectively.The euhedral titanite has a high content of REE and high Th/U ratios,which is interpreted as indicating that it was newly-formed from an anatectic melt.The LA-ICP-MS titanite U-Pb dating yields 214-217 Ma ages for the titanite(melt)crystallization.The distribution of trace elements varies in response to the different host minerals at different stages.At the peak metamorphic stage,Y and HREE are mainly hosted by garnet,Ba and Rb by phengite,Sr,Nb,Ta,Pb,Th,U and LREE by allanite and Y,U and HREE by zircon.During partial melting,Y,Pb,Th,U and REE are released into the melt,which causes a dramatic decline of these element contents in the retrograde minerals.Finally,titanite absorbs most of the Nb,U,LREE and HREE from the melt.Therefore,the different stages of metamorphism have different mineral assemblages,which host different trace elements.

Spatio-temporal variation of trace elements distributed over surface water of Upper Ganga River Basin in Western Himalayan Region

The rivers draining from the Himalayan range distribute enormous amount of fresh water to the people living in downstream regions.Trace metals flowed with river water can lead to serious impact on ecological system and human health.Nevertheless,the documentation on trace elements of Himalayan rivers is inadequately documented.The current study deals with the spatial and temporal variability of the major and trace elements of Ganga river water in epirhithron,metarhithron and hyporhithron zone belonging to Himalayan segment.Water samples from nineteen monitoring locations were collected in pre-monsoon(May-June),monsoon(AugustSeptember)and post-monsoon(December)seasons and subjected to be assessed for 20 elements(Ag,Al,Ba,Cd,Ca,Cr,Cu,Fe,Ga,K,Mn,Mg,Na,Ni,Pb,Sr,Th,U,Zn,and Zr)using ICP-OES(Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer).Different water pollution indexes such as HPI(Heavy Metal Pollution Index),MI(Metal Index)and PI(Pollution Index)were used to describe current water quality status at each monitoring station under particular classified ecological zone.The studied stations in hyporhithron zone had the value of Metal Index(MI>1),indicating threshold of warning.Further,the highest values of HPI in hyporhithron zone correspond to poor water quality status.Sites with poor water quality were also found to be contaminated as per the Pollution Index(PI),exhibiting high concentrations for element(Fe).However,the epirhithron and metarhithron zone in Himalayan segment showed excellent water quality mainly contributed from natural sources.Cluster Analysis(CA)and Principal Component Analysis(PCA)were applied to identify the main influential sources for Ganga river water pollution.The Kriging interpolation method was also applied to prepare spatial distribution map of computed indexes(HPI,MI,and PI).With the help of index of local Moran’s I(LMI),identified spatial clusters and spatial outliers revealed the elevated concentration of most elements in hyporhithron zone.The dataset presented in this study would be convenient for government officials in developing more effective management policies and necessary steps to check and monitor the Ganga river water quality.It was also suggested that further investigations in terms of trace elemental sources and their role in self-purification properties of Ganga water can be addressed in future.

Distribution and geochemical significance of trace elements in kerogens from Ediacaran–Lower Cambrian strata in South China

Some trace elements(TEs),both bio-essential and redox-sensitive,are promising tracers of Earth’s surface processes.As an essential sedimentary organic matter,kerogen may have inherited and retained the key TEs from organisms.In this study,the distribution of TEs in kerogens from two sections(Dongkanshang and Fengtan) in South China was analyzed to explore its biogeochemical significance during Ediacaran-Lower Cambrian.Compared with V and Zn,the relative concentrations of Co,Ni,Cu,and Mo were generally higher in kerogens than in the whole rocks.Enrichment of TEs in the kerogen was involved in the selective utilization of TEs by different organic precursors and the competition of sulfide in the depositional environment.The significant content of TEs in the kerogens from deep-water facies corresponded to a more negative δ^(13) Ckeras a result of the dominant taxa of chemo autotrophs with tremendous bioaccumulation potential for trace metals and the reduction conditions favorable for organic matter preservation.Furthermore,the content variations of trace elements in the kerogens coincided with the rise and fall of the Ediacaran biota,implying that the trace elements might have played an important role in early life evolution.

Seasonal variations and health risk assessment of trace elements in the Badigad River,lesser Himalayas,Nepal

The consumption of contaminated river water can have severe effects on human health.This study aims to investigate the trace elements(TEs)content and their health risk assessment in the Badigad River Basin in the lesser Himalayas of Nepal.In total,44 water samples were collected from 22 different sites during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons,and 25 TEs were analyzed.Correlation matrix and principal component analysis(PCA)were used to analyze the potential relationship between the measured TEs and their source tracking.Furthermore,the water quality index(WQI),metal index(MI),and cancer index(CI)were evaluated.The TEs content in all samples were found to be within the WHO recommended guideline for drinking and domestic purposes.The dominancy order of the TEs was observed as Sr>Ba>Li>Rb>Zn>Cr>Sc>Mn>Ti>Cu>As>Ni>Co>U>V>Pb>Cs>Ga>Y>Tl>Th>Zr>Bi>Cd>Nb.The PCA analysis suggested that TEs could have natural,anthropogenic,and mixed origins.The WQI indicated that the river water is safe from a human health perspective.The MI suggested that Badigad River can be considered safer for drinking purposes,and the cancer index(CI)showed that all the reported TEs are at low-risk levels.The findings of this study could be useful for government agencies in developing more sustainable water management policies in the region.However,it is suggested that further investigations should be conducted in terms of other hydrogeochemical variables,including major ions,at spatiotemporal levels for the sustainability of the river basin.

Relationship of Trace Elements Concentration and Growth Rate in Alsidium triquetrum (Rhodophyta)

Minerals and trace elements content and concentration in marine algae vary depending on species morphology and physiology;as well as growing environmental conditions. Despite this variability, accumulation of magnesium, and especially iron, seems to be common in Chlorophyta;while Rhodophyta and Heterokontophyta show higher affinity to manganese. The red agarophyte Alsidium triquetrum was used to analyze the relationship between metal concentration, environmental conditions and growth rate. Specimens grown in situ showed a large variability of Fe, Mn, Mg, and Al, in thallus tissue concentrations. Further, a compelling relationship between the growth rate and the thallus concentration of Mg and Mn, Zn, and Al was detecte. Manganese, unlike the other trace elements analyzed showed a positive linear relationship between growth rate and tissue content during the period of greatest vegetative growth.

Investigation of Pollution Level of Traces Metals Elements in Agricultural Soil of Oubritenga Province of Burkina Faso

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pollution level of trace metals As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se and Zn in agricultural soil around the water reservoir. A total of 36 soil samples were collected both during off-season agriculture and pluvial agriculture from April to October 2022. The samples were analyzed for trace metals according to the standard methods of the US EPA 2007 with a microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer (MP-AES), Agilent Model 4210. The pollution level was assessed using contamination factor (Cf) and modified contamination degree (mCd). During the off-season, the concentration of trace metals followed in descending order as Mn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Zn. As, Cd, Co, Hg, Ni, Sb and Se were below the detectable limits. In pluvial season, the concentration of traces of metal follows the order Mn > Cr > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Hg > As. Cd, Co, Sb and Se remain below the detectable limits. The concentrations of Cr, Mn and Zn were lower in the off-season agriculture than in pluvial agriculture. For Cu and Pb, the concentrations were higher in the off-season than in pluvial agriculture. The Cf ranges from 0.24 to 11.70 depending on the considered trace metal. The Cf values of As, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn indicated that the agricultural study soil was lowery contaminated by these trace metals. The agricultural study soil was moderately contaminated by Cr and Cu, and highly contaminated by Hg. Globally the agricultural study soil presents a moderate degree of contamination (mCd 2.25) by the eight trace metals studied. This result provides information on understanding the risks of trace metal contamination of agricultural soil. It is important to anticipate the control of soil contamination through regular monitoring of toxic metals in agricultural soils, control the quality of chemicals used in agriculture and regulate their use.

Trace element compositions of pyrite and stibnite:implications for the genesis of antimony mineralization in the Yangla Cu skarn deposit,Northwestern Yunnan,China

The Yangla Cu skarn deposit is located in the central part of the Jinshajiang Suture Zone,southwest China,with a total reserve of 150 Mt Cu@1.03%.The newly discovered antimony orebodies at the depth of Yangla are strictly controlled by the stratum,structure,and lithology,which are lenticular and vein-like within the marble fracture zone,which can provide a window into multistage miner-alization and ore genesis at Yangla.Mineralization can be divided into three types,Cu–Pb–Zn(skarn)pyrite,galena,and sphalerite,Cu(porphyry)chalcopyrite and pyrite,and Sb(hydrothermal)stibnite and pyrite.The mineral assem-blages were stibnite+pyrite+calcite+quartz±minor scheelite in antimony ores.This study presents quantitative measurements of the trace element compositions of pyrite and stibnite from the Yangla antimony ores.Analysis of pyrite with electron probe microanalysis(EPMA)showed enrichment in Co,Ni,Sb,As,and Mo,and deficit in its S and Fe contents when compared to the stoichiometric con-centrations of S and Fe in pyrite.The Sb-related pyrite may belong to sedimentary-reworked genesis and may be modi-fied by hydrothermalfluids,thereby presenting a certain dif-ference(i.e.,crystal morphology,texture,and chemical com-position)compared to the skarn and porphyry Cu-related pyrite in the Yangla Cu skarn deposit.Analysis of stibnite with EPMA and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrom-etry showed enrichment in As,Pb,Sn,Pb,Cu,and Zn,and presented much higher Sb contents and slightly lower S con-tents when compared to the stoichiometric concentrations of Sb and S in stibnite.Statistical analysis of the stibnite trace elements showed correlations for the elemental pairs Cu–Pb,As–Sb,and Sn–Pb,and the coupled substitution equations Sb^(3+)↔Cu^(+)+Pb^(2+),Sb^(3+)↔As^(3+),and Sn^(2+)↔Pb^(2+)may be the major factors governed the incorporating Cu,Pb,As and Sn within the stibnite.Moreover,this study preliminary shows that the antimony mineralization may belong to a car-bonate replacement hydrothermal genesis at Yangla.

Origin of the Dashuigou Independent Tellurium Deposit at the Southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:Based on the Abundances of Trace Elements in the Country Rocks

Through a detailed study of the abundances and spatial-temporal distribution patterns of Te,Bi,As,Se,Cu,Pb,Zn,Au,and Ag in the rock types of different geological epochs in the Dashuigou independent tellurium deposit,and in combination with other research findings of previous researchers in this area,the authors conclude as follows:Abundances of the main ore-forming elements Te,Bi,As,Se,Au,and Ag are not high in the regional geological background,generally lower or close to their respective crustal Clark values,but almost all altered country rocks contain high levels of ore-forming elements.This indicates that the deposit’s ore-forming elements do not come from the country rocks.This also indicates that the geological thermal events that cause alteration and mineralization originate from depths and may be related to mantle plumes.Considering the distribution pattern of these ore-forming elements in the ore bodies’hanging wall and footwall,the metallogenic mechanism may be as follows:Mineralization is not achieved through lateral secretion in the horizontal or near horizontal direction,but rather through the upward movement and emplacement of deep ore-forming elements driven by geological processes such as mantle plumes.In addition,the migration of deep ore-forming elements is not achieved through dispersed infiltration between overlying rock particles,but through non widespread concentrated penetrating channels.This type of channel is likely to be the expansion structures where faults from different directions intersect,or where linear faults intersect with circular structures.

Predictive Study of Trace Metal Pollution of Gold Panning Sites in Birimian Formations: Case of the Yaouré Furrow (Côte d’Ivoire)

The present study was carried out on small-scale gold mining sites in the Yaouré region of Côte d’Ivoire. This region is geologically representative of the Birimian formations (2.1 Ga) of West Africa. The aim is to determine the potentially toxic trace metals (TMEs) generated by these sites, with a view to preventing possible contamination and/or metal pollution of the waters that provide fish products for local populations. To this end, a sampling campaign was carried out, resulting in the collection of 20 mining waste samples analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and 10 by X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The XRF analysis detected 06 predominant TMEs: arsenic, chromium, copper, nickel, zinc and vanadium. Statistical analysis was carried out to determine the distributions and correlations between these ETMs. To assess contamination and/or pollution levels, the following indices were calculated on the basis of reference concentrations of upper continental crust MTEs: Enrichment Factor, Geo-accumulation Index, Concentration Factor, Degree of contamination and those related to ecological risks. The results of statistical analyses and indices have shown that arsenic and chromium are the most predominant and can be, depending on the chemical form, potentially more toxic. The results of the DRX analysis show the occurrence of several minerals carrying these two MTEs, especially that of a rare mineral, Stenhuggarite, an arsenic oxide linked to hydrothermal veins. The majority of gold mining operations in West Africa are located in the birimian zone, hence the need for environmental monitoring by the relevant authorities, to prevent potential ecological risks to water and possibly health risks via the food chain.

Trace formula of the integro-differential operator on a quantum graph

In this paper we study the eigenvalue problem for integro-differential operators on a lasso graph.The trace formula of the operator is established by applying the residual technique in complex analysis.

Enriched Constant Elements in the Boundary Element Method for Solving 2D Acoustic Problems at Higher Frequencies

The boundary element method(BEM)is a popular method for solving acoustic wave propagation problems,especially those in exterior domains,owing to its ease in handling radiation conditions at infinity.However,BEM models must meet the requirement of 6–10 elements per wavelength,using the conventional constant,linear,or quadratic elements.Therefore,a large storage size of memory and long solution time are often needed in solving higher-frequency problems.In this work,we propose two new types of enriched elements based on conventional constant boundary elements to improve the computational efficiency of the 2D acoustic BEM.The first one uses a plane wave expansion,which can be used to model scattering problems.The second one uses a special plane wave expansion,which can be used tomodel radiation problems.Five examples are investigated to showthe advantages of the enriched elements.Compared with the conventional constant elements,the new enriched elements can deliver results with the same accuracy and in less computational time.This improvement in the computational efficiency is more evident at higher frequencies(with the nondimensional wave numbers exceeding 100).The paper concludes with the potential of our proposed enriched elements and plans for their further improvement.

Efficient concentration of trace analyte with ordered hotspot construction for a robust and sensitive SERS platform

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)platform,which enables trace analyte detection,has important application prospects.By structuring/modifying the surface of the SERSsubstrate,analyte in highly diluted solutions can be concentrated into localized active areas for highly sensitive detection.However,subject to the difficulty of the fabrication process,itremains challenging to balance hot-spot construction and the concentration capacity of analyte simultaneously.Therefore,preparing SERS substrates with densely ordered hot spots andefficient concentration capacity is of great significance for highly sensitive detection.Herein,we propose an Ag and fluoroalkyl-modified hierarchical armour substrate(Ag/F-HA),which has a double-layer stacking design to combine analyte concentration with hotspot construction.The microarmour structure is fabricated by femtosecond-laser processing to serve as asuperhydrophobic and low-adhesive surface to concentrate analyte,while the anodic aluminium oxide(AAO)template creates a nanopillar array serving as dense and ordered hot spots.Under the synergistic action of hot spots and analyte concentration,Ag/F-HA achieves a detectionlimit down to 10^(-7)M doxorubicin(DOX)molecules with a RSD of 7.69%.Additionally,Ag/F-HA exhibits excellent robustness to resist external disturbances such as liquid splash or abrasion.Based on our strategy,SERS substrates with directional analyte concentrations are further explored by patterning microcone arrays with defects.This work opens a way to the realistic implementation of SERS in diverse scenarios.

Pig H3K4me3,H3K27ac,and gene expression profiles reveal reproductive tissue-specific activity of transposable elements

Regulatory sequences and transposable elements(TEs)account for a large proportion of the genomic sequences of species;however,their roles in gene transcription,especially tissue-specific expression,remain largely unknown.Pigs serve as an excellent animal model for studying genomic sequence biology due to the extensive diversity among their wild and domesticated populations.Here,we conducted an integrated analysis using H3K27ac ChIP-seq,H3K4me3 ChIP-seq,and RNA-seq data from 10 different tissues of seven fetuses and eight closely related adult pigs.We aimed to annotate the regulatory elements and TEs to elucidate their associations with histone modifications and mRNA expression across different tissues and developmental stages.Based on correlation analysis between mRNA expression and H3K27ac and H3K4me3 peak activity,results indicated that H3K27ac exhibited stronger associations with gene expression than H3K4me3.Furthermore,1.45%of TEs overlapped with either the H3K27ac or H3K4me3 peaks,with the majority displaying tissue-specific activity.Notably,a TE subfamily(LTR4C_SS),containing binding motifs for SIX1 and SIX4,showed specific enrichment in the H3K27ac peaks of the adult and fetal ovaries.RNA-seq analysis also revealed widespread expression of TEs in the exons or promoters of genes,including 4688 TE-containing transcripts with distinct development stage-specific and tissue-specific expression.Of note,1967 TE-containing transcripts were enriched in the testes.We identified a long terminal repeat(LTR),MLT1F1,acting as a testis-specific alternative promoter in SRPK2(a cell cycle-related protein kinase)in our pig dataset.This element was also conserved in humans and mice,suggesting either an ancient integration of TEs in genes specifically expressed in the testes or parallel evolutionary patterns.Collectively,our findings demonstrate that TEs are deeply embedded in the genome and exhibit important tissue-specific biological functions,particularly in the reproductive organs.