Geochemistry and petrogenesis of Rajahmundry trap basalts of Krishna-Godavari Basin,India

The Rajahmundry Trap Basalts （RTB） are erupted through fault-controlled fissures in the Krishna-Godavari Basin （K-G Basin） of Godavari Triple Junction, occurring as a unique outcrop sandwiched between Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments along the east coast of India. Detailed geochemical studies have revealed that RTB are mid-Ti （1.74-1.92） to high-Ti （2.04-2.81） basalts with a distinct quartz tholeiitic parentage. MgO （6.2-13.12 wt.%）, Mg# （29-50） and Zr （109-202 ppm） suggest that these basalts evolved by fractional crystallization during the ascent of the parent magma along deep-seated fractures. Mod- erate to high fractionation of HREE, as indicated by （Gd/Yb）N ratios （1.71-2.31） of RTB, suggest their generation through 3-5% melting of a Fe-rich mantle corresponding to the stability fields of spinel and garnet peridotite at depths of 60-100 km. Low K2O/P2O5 （0.26-1.26）, high TiO2/P2O5 （6.74-16.79）, La/Nb （0.89-1.45）, Nb/Th 〉 8 （8.35-13）, negative anomalies at Rb reflect minimum contamination by granitic continental crust. （Nb/La）PM ratios （0.66-1.1） of RTB are attributed to endogenic contamination resulted through recycling of subducted oceanic slab into the mantle. Pronounced Ba enrichment with relative depletion in Rb indicates assimilation of Infra- and Inter-trappean sediments of estuarine to shallow marine character. Geochemical compositions such as A1203/TiO2 （3.88-6.83）, medium to high TiO2 （1.74 -2.81 wt.%）, positive Nb anomalies and LREE enrichment of these RTB attest to their mantle plume origin and indicate the generation of parent magma from a plume-related enriched mantle source with EM 1 signature. Ba/Th （46-247）, Ba/La （3.96-28.51） and Th/Nb （0.08-0.13） ratios suggest that the source enrichment process was marked by recycling of subduction-processed oceanic crust and lithospheric components into the mantle. Zr/Hf （37-41） and Zr/Ba （0.51-3.24） indicate involvement of an asthenospheric mantle source. The Rajahmundry basalts show affinity towards FOZO （focal zone mantle） and PSCL （post-Archaean subcontinental lithosphere） which reflect mixing between asthenospheric and lithospheric mantle components in their source. Origin of RTB magma is attributed to plume-lithosphere interaction and the upward movement of melt is facilitated by intrabasinal deep-seated faults in the K-G Basin.

Optimizing Vitamin E Purification from Unsaponiable Matter of Palm Fatty Acids Distillate by Low Temperature Solvent Crystallization

Palm fatty acid distillate （PFAD）, a by-product of deodorization in palm oil refining, contains about 0.7%-1% vitamin E. The advantage of PFAD over other vitamin E sources is higher amount of tocotrienols than that of tocopherols. Vitamin E purification of unsaponiable matter of PFAD was aimed to remove other impurities to obtain high vitamin E concentration, mainly tocotrienols. This research used low temperature solvent crystallization to purify vitamin E. To optimize response of vitamin concentration, a response surface method was applied with three factors, i.e., the ratio between solvent and unsaponifiable matter （A）, crystallization temperature （B）, and crystallization time （C）. The relation of three factors was quadratic with equation Y = -128.54361 ＋ 41.33904A - 0.87995B ＋ 1.58941C ＋ 0.00290AB - 0.044324AC ＋ 0.00120BC - 3.33113A2 - 0.039535B2 - 0.02710C2. The optimum crystallization condition was obtained at ratio of solventto unsaponifiable matter of 6.04：1, crystallization temperature of-10.54 ℃, and crystallization time of 24.16 hours. Vitamin E enriched fraction from optimum crystallization conditions contained vitamin E of 20.13% （w/w）.

Rare earth element geochemistry of groundwaters from coal bearing aquifer in Renlou coal mine,northern Anhui Province,China

Rare earth element （REE） concentrations of two different types of groundwaters （high SO42–water-SW and high alkaline waterCW） from coal bearing aquifer （–400~–280 m） in Renlou coal mine,northern Anhui Province,China were measured.The results indicated that they had different REE characteristics： the total concentrations of REEs （ΣREE） of SW were lower than those of CW in general although they all had heavy REEs enriched relative to light REEs.The dissolved REE inorganic species of SW included Ln3＋,LnCO3＋,LnSO4＋,Ln（CO3）2– and Ln（SO4）2–,whereas the CW are Ln（CO3）2– and LnCO3＋ dominant,and the proportions of Ln（CO3）2– increased while other species decreased with pH increasing.Combined with correlation analysis,the enrichment and fractionation of SW （low alkaline water） were considered to be affected by alkaline concentrations via affecting the types and proportions of REE inorganic species.However,the effect of alkaline concentrations to the enrichment and fractionation of REEs of CW （high alkaline water） was less important than total dissolved solids and pH,which reflected the contribution from different rocks they flowed over,different degrees of water-rock interactions and/or REE solid-liquid partition coefficients.