Sedimentology and Paleoenvironmental Characteristics of Fine-grained Sediments in Coal-bearing Strata in the Eastern Ordos Basin:A Case Study of the Exploratory Well in the Zizhou Area

The continuously collected cores from the Permo-Carboniferous coal-bearing strata of the eastern Ordos Basin are essential for studying the hydrocarbon potential in this region.This study adopted sedimentological and geochemical methods to analyze the sedimentary environment,material composition,and geochemical characteristics of the coal-bearing strata.The differences in depositional and paleoclimatic conditions were compared;and the factors influencing the organic matter content of fine-grained sediments were explored.The depositional environment of the Benxi and Jinci formations was lagoon to tidal flat with weakly reduced waters with low salinity and dry-hot paleoclimatic conditions;while that of the Taiyuan Formation was a carbonate platform and shallow water delta front,where the water was highly reductive.The xerothermic climate alternated with the warm and humid climate.The period of maximum transgression in the Permo-Carboniferous has the highest water salinity.The Shanxi Formation was deposited in a shallow water delta front with a brackish and fresh water environment and alternative weak reductiveness.And the paleoclimate condition is dry-hot.The TOC content in fine-grained samples was averaging 1.52%.The main controlling mechanism of organic matter in this area was the input conditions according to the analysis on input and preservation of organic matter.

Flocculation process of fine-grained sediments by the combined effect of salinity and humus in the Changjiang Estuary

For the great amount of organic compounds and the variation of salinity in the Changjiang Estuary, the study on the flocculation process of fine-grained sediments by the combined effect of salinity and humus in the high-turbid system is of critical significance for the understanding of the mechanism of the formation of the turbidity maximum （TM） . For the great amount of organic compounds and the variation of salinity in the Changjiang Estuary, the study on the flocculation process of fine-grained sediments by the combined effect of salinity and humus in the high-turbid system is of critical significance for the understanding of the mechanism of the formation of the turbidity maximum （TM） . The effects of salinity and humus on the fine-grained sediments have been analyzed through the synthetic study of the aspects of flocculation/coagulation power （ F）, diameter （D） and zeta potential （Z）. And the microcosmic configuration of the flocs has been analyzed by using a scan electron microscope and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry. The results show that： （ 1 ） with the increase of salinity, F and D become greater and Z becomes smaller, and with the increase of the concentration of humus, F becomes smaller, but D and Z become greater; （2） the microcosmic configuration of the flocculation shows that humus packs on the fine sediments in the form of salt, and the flocculation model of C - P - OM （C stands for clay; P cations; OM organic materials） can successfully demonstrate the mechanism of the formation of the finegrained sediments in the high-turbid area of the Changjiang Estuary.

Vertical Migration of Fine-Grained Sediments from Interior to Surface of Seabed Driven by Seepage Flows–‘Sub-Bottom Sediment Pump Action'

A scientific hypothesis is proposed and preliminarily verified in this paper: under the driving of seepage flows, there might be a vertical migration of fine-grained soil particles from interior to surface of seabed, which is defined as ‘sub-bottom sediment pump action' in this paper. Field experiments were performed twice on the intertidal flat of the Yellow River delta to study this process via both trapping the pumped materials and recording the pore pressures in the substrate. Experimental results are quite interesting as we did observe yellow slurry which is mainly composed of fine-grained soil particles appearing on the seabed surface; seepage gradients were also detected in the intertidal flat, under the action of tides and small wind waves. Preliminary conclusions are that ‘sediment pump' occurs when seepage force exceeds a certain threshold: firstly, it is big enough to disconnect the soil particles from the soil skeleton; secondly, the degree of seabed fluidization or bioturbation is big enough to provide preferred paths for the detached materials to migrate upwards. Then they would be firstly pumped from interior to the surface of seabed and then easily re-suspended into overlying water column. Influential factors of ‘sediment pump' are determined as hydrodynamics(wave energy), degree of consolidation, index of bioturbation(permeability) and content of fine-grained materials(sedimentary age). This new perspective of ‘sediment pump' may provide some implications for the mechanism interpretation of several unclear geological phenomena in the Yellow River delta area.

The Effect of Grain Size on the Viscosity and Yield Stress of Fine-Grained Sediments

In debris flow modelling,the viscosity and yield stress of fine-grained sediments should be determined in order to better characterize sediment flow.In particular,it is important to understand the effect of grain size on the rheology of fine-grained sediments associated with yielding.When looking at the relationship between shear stress and shear rate before yielding,a high-viscosity zone(called pseudoNewtonian viscosity) towards the apparent yield stress exists.After yielding,plastic viscosity(called Bingham viscosity) governs the flow.To examine the effect of grain size on the rheological characteristics of fine-grained sediments,clay-rich materials(from the Adriatic Sea,Italy; Cambridge Fjord,Canada; and the Mediterranean Sea,Spain),silt-rich debris flow materials(from La Valette,France) and silt-rich materials(iron tailings from Canada) were compared.Rheological characteristics were examined using a modified Bingham model.The materials examined,including the Canadian inorganic and sensitive clays,exhibit typical shear thinning behavior and strong thixotropy.In the relationships between the liquidity index and rheological values(viscosity and apparent yield stress),the effect of grain size on viscosity and yield stress is significant at a given liquidity index.The viscosity and yield stress of debris flow materials are higher than those of low-activity clays at the same liquid state.However the viscosity and yield stress of the tailings,which are mainly composed of silt-sized particles,are slightly lower than those of low-activity clays.

Rates and fluxes of centennial-scale carbon storage in the fine-grained sediments from the central South Yellow Sea and Min-Zhe belt, East China Sea

The global carbon cycle has played a key role in mitigating global warming and climate change.Long-term natural and anthropogenic processes influence the composition,sources,burial rates,and fluxes of carbon in sediments on the continental shelf of China.In this study,the rates,fluxes,and amounts of carbon storage at the centennial scale were estimated and demonstrated using the case study of three fine-grained sediment cores from the central South Yellow Sea area(SYSA) and Min-Zhe belt(MZB),East China Sea.Based on the high-resolution temporal sequences of total carbon(TC)and total organic carbon(TOC)contents,we reconstructed the annual variations of historical marine carbon storage,and explored the influence of terrestrial and marine sources on carbon burial at the centennial scale.The estimated TC storage over 100 years was 1.18×10~8 t in the SYSA and 1.45×10~9 t in the MZB.The corrected TOC storage fluxes at the centennial scale ranged from 17 to 28 t/(km^2·a)in the SYSA and from 56 to 148 t/(km^2·a)in the MZB.The decrease of terrestrial materials and the increase of marine primary production suggest that the TOC buried in the sediments in the SYSA and MZB was mainly derived from the marine autogenetic source.In the MZB,two depletion events occurred in TC and TOC storage from 1985 to 1987 and 2003 to 2006,which were coeval with the water impoundment in the Gezhouba and Three Gorges dams,respectively.The high-resolution records of the carbon storage rates and fluxes in the SYSA and MZB reflect the synchronous responses to human activities and provide an important reference for assessing the carbon sequestration capacity of the marginal seas of China.

The Mineral Composition and Sources of the Fine-Grained Sediments from the 49.6?E Hydrothermal Field at the SWIR

We used the X-ray diffraction method to determine systematically the mineral phases in bulk sediment samples and acid undissolved residuals of the fine-grained fraction of the surface sediments from the 49.6°E hydrothermal field at the Southwest Indian Ridge(SWIR)and discussed the mineral sources of the surface sediments.The results showed that the surface sediments in this region were composed of calcareous ooze,and calcite was the dominant mineral.The sediments also contained quartz,feldspar,clay minerals,pyroxene,sphalerite,barite,serpentine,and magnetite.The quartz,feldspar,and clay minerals were exogenous minerals that mainly originated from the Namib and Kalahari deserts in southern Africa.The pyroxene,serpentine,magnetite,sphalerite,calcite,and barite were endogenous minerals from weathering of seafloor basement rocks and seafloor hydrothermal activities.The sulfide particles in the sediments were mainly deposited from upwelling plumes.

How argillaceous reservoirs exhibit better quality than silty mudstones?Anomalous behavior of shale gas-bearing properties of continental fine-grained sediments in Southwest China and its possible forcing mechanisms

Achieving a thorough understanding of how primary sedimentary granularity drives considerable heterogeneity in internal reservoir attributes of terrigenous fine-grained deposits is of great significance.We investigated the quantitative differentiation and its corresponding driving forces of physical reservoir properties and pore-structure characteristics of silty-mud sediments in the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation(SW China)using a multi-method approach.The results show that the micro-mesopore volume and surface area of mudstones/shales are apparently higher than those of silty mudstones and a remarkable threefold rise in average permeability also presents.Extensively distributed bitumen pores occurring mostly along brittle mineral grains or forming clay-organic complexes make considerable contributions to shrinking microcracks.Furthermore,an evidently higher concentration of clay minerals in mudstone/shale reservoirs is primarily responsible for development of the two types of clay intercrystalline pores distributed along grain aggregates and between well-oriented platelets.These two major causes facilitate the formation of micro-bedding fractures/non-bedding micro fractures and connected fracture and pore-fracture networks,and also high-quality argillaceous reservoirs by strongly enhancing storage spaces and seepage capacities.Finally,a conceptual model is established for interpreting a differential reservoir-forming mechanism and corresponding two-sided effects on petrophysical and reservoir quality properties for continental silty-mud sediments.

A hyperspectral detection model for permeability coefficient of debris flow fine-grained sediments, Southwestern China

Fine-grained sediments are Quaternary sediments with grain sizes of not more than 2 mm.They startfirst when meeting water,their stability is related to the initial water volume triggering debrisflow,and thus plays an important role in debrisflow hazards early warning.The permeability coefficient is the inter-controlled factor offine-grained sediment stability.However,there is no hyperspectral model for detecting thefine-grained sediment permeability coefficient in large areas,which seriously affects the progress of debrisflow hazards early warning.Therefore,it is of great significance to establish a hyperspectral detection model for the permeability coefficient offine-grained sediments.Taking Beichuan County,Southwestern China as the case,a permeability coefficient hyperspectral detection model was established.The results show that eight bands are sensitive to the permeability coefficient with correlation coefficient(R)of 0.6343.T-test on the model shows that P-a values for sensitive bands are all less than 0.05,indicating the established model has a good prediction ability with a precision of 85.83%.These sensitive bands also indicate the spectral characteristics of the permeability coefficient.Therefore,it provides a scientific basis forfine-grained sediment stability detection in large areas and lays a theoretical foundation for debrisflow hazards’early warning.

Saturation evaluation for fine-grained sediments

Accurate quantification of the gas hydrate content in the deep sea is useful for assessing the resource potential and understanding the role of gas hydrates in the global carbon cycle.Resistivity logging data combined with Archie’s equation are often used to calculate gas hydrate saturation,but the reliability is dependent on the rationality of the empirical parameter cementation factor and saturation index.At present,an increasing number of fine-grained hydrate-rich sediment regions have been discovered worldwide through drilling efforts,and the reservoir types and hydrate distribution are diverse,which differs greatly from that of coarse-grained reservoirs of hydrate-bearing sediment.This results in vertical variations in m and n through stratigraphy.At present,the saturation evaluation effect of these reservoirs cannot be improved.In this work,a theory for the determination of the cementation factor and saturation index was first proposed to obtain reliable and variable values of the empirical parameters.Then,a hydrate saturation evaluation technique with variables m and n was formed based on the well logging data.This technique was used to evaluate complex fine-grained hydrate-bearing reservoirs in several regions worldwide.It was found that the highest n could be 16,and the log calculation results were more consistent with the core hydrate saturation.Additionally,the cause of the excessively high n values was explained from physical principles,and the result was verified with actually well log data.In future evaluations of the amount of hydrate resources in fine-grained sediment reservoirs worldwide,new saturation estimation methods should be taken into account to advance hydrate research.

Space-Time Evolution and Controlling Factor of Fine-Grained Sediments in the Upper Fourth Member of Shahejie Formation, Dongying Depression

Fine-grained rocks（FGR） are the important source rocks and reservoirs of shale hydrocarbon which is the prospect hotspot at present. Widely distributed fine-grained sediments（FGS） of the upper fourth member of Shahejie Formation in Dongying depression are taken as an example to study the space-time evolution and controlling factor of FGS in this paper. Based on the analysis of well cores, thin sections, inorganic and organic geochemistry indicators, FGR are divided into 7 types of lithofacies. Through the study of ‘point-line-plane＇, this study shows that FGS has the characteristics of rhythum, diversity and succession. The first stage is characterized by clayey FGS（massive claystone）. The second stage is characterized by carbonate FGS（low-TOC laminated limestone） and dolomitic FGS（dolomitic-silty shale） formed by transgression. The third stage is characterized by organic-rich carbonate FGS（middle/high-TOC laminated limestone） distributed in cycle. The fourth stage is characterized by FGS mixed carbonate and siliciclastic sediments（calcareous-silty shale）. A variety of space-time evolution of FGS are controlled by multiple factors including tectonism, climate and lake conditions.

Improving creep strength of the fine-grained heat-affected zone of novel 9Cr martensitic heat-resistant steel via modified thermo-mechanical treatment

The infamous type Ⅳ failure within the fine-grained heat-affected zone (FGHAZ) in G115 steel weldments seriously threatens the safe operation of ultra-supercritical (USC) power plants.In this work,the traditional thermo-mechanical treatment was modified via the replacement of hot-rolling with cold rolling,i.e.,normalizing,cold rolling,and tempering (NCT),which was developed to improve the creep strength of the FGHAZ in G115 steel weldments.The NCT treatment effectively promoted the dissolution of preformed M_(23)C_(6)particles and relieved the boundary segregation of C and Cr during welding thermal cycling,which accelerated the dispersed reprecipitation of M_(23)C_(6) particles within the fresh reaustenitized grains during post-weld heat treatment.In addition,the precipitation of Cu-rich phases and MX particles was promoted evidently due to the deformation-induced dislocations.As a result,the interacting actions between precipitates,dislocations,and boundaries during creep were reinforced considerably.Following this strategy,the creep rupture life of the FGHAZ in G115 steel weldments can be prolonged by 18.6%,which can further push the application of G115 steel in USC power plants.

Fine-grained grid computing model for Wi-Fi indoor localization in complex environments

The fingerprinting-based approach using the wireless local area network(WLAN)is widely used for indoor localization.However,the construction of the fingerprint database is quite time-consuming.Especially when the position of the access point(AP)or wall changes,updating the fingerprint database in real-time is difficult.An appropriate indoor localization approach,which has a low implementation cost,excellent real-time performance,and high localization accuracy and fully considers complex indoor environment factors,is preferred in location-based services(LBSs)applications.In this paper,we proposed a fine-grained grid computing(FGGC)model to achieve decimeter-level localization accuracy.Reference points(RPs)are generated in the grid by the FGGC model.Then,the received signal strength(RSS)values at each RP are calculated with the attenuation factors,such as the frequency band,three-dimensional propagation distance,and walls in complex environments.As a result,the fingerprint database can be established automatically without manual measurement,and the efficiency and cost that the FGGC model takes for the fingerprint database are superior to previous methods.The proposed indoor localization approach,which estimates the position step by step from the approximate grid location to the fine-grained location,can achieve higher real-time performance and localization accuracy simultaneously.The mean error of the proposed model is 0.36 m,far lower than that of previous approaches.Thus,the proposed model is feasible to improve the efficiency and accuracy of Wi-Fi indoor localization.It also shows high-accuracy performance with a fast running speed even under a large-size grid.The results indicate that the proposed method can also be suitable for precise marketing,indoor navigation,and emergency rescue.

Fine-grained gravity flow sedimentation and its influence on development of shale oil sweet sections in lacustrine basins in China

The geological conditions and processes of fine-grained gravity flow sedimentation in continental lacustrine basins in China are analyzed to construct the model of fine-grained gravity flow sedimentation in lacustrine basin,reveal the development laws of fine-grained deposits and source-reservoir,and identify the sweet sections of shale oil.The results show that fine-grained gravity flow is one of the important sedimentary processes in deep lake environment,and it can transport fine-grained clasts and organic matter in shallow water to deep lake,forming sweet sections and high-quality source rocks of shale oil.Fine-grained gravity flow deposits in deep waters of lacustrine basins in China are mainly fine-grained high-density flow,fine-grained turbidity flow(including surge-like turbidity flow and fine-grained hyperpycnal flow),fine-grained viscous flow(including fine-grained debris flow and mud flow),and fine-grained transitional flow deposits.The distribution of fine-grained gravity flow deposits in the warm and humid unbalanced lacustrine basins are controlled by lake-level fluctuation,flooding events,and lakebed paleogeomorphology.During the lake-level rise,fine-grained hyperpycnal flow caused by flooding formed fine-grained channel–levee–lobe system in the flat area of the deep lake.During the lake-level fall,the sublacustrine fan system represented by unconfined channel was developed in the flexural slope breaks and sedimentary slopes of depressed lacustrine basins,and in the steep slopes of faulted lacustrine basins;the sublacustrine fan system with confined or unconfined channel was developed on the gentle slopes and in axial direction of faulted lacustrine basins,with fine-grained gravity flow deposits possibly existing in the lower fan.Within the fourth-order sequences,transgression might lead to organic-rich shale and fine-grained hyperpycnal flow deposits,while regression might cause fine-grained high-density flow,surge-like turbidity flow,fine-grained debris flow,mud flow,and fine-grained transitional flow deposits.Since the Permian,in the shale strata of lacustrine basins in China,multiple transgression-regression cycles of fourth-order sequences have formed multiple source-reservoir assemblages.Diverse fine-grained gravity flow sedimentation processes have created sweet sections of thin siltstone consisting of fine-grained high-density flow,fine-grained hyperpycnal flow and surge-like turbidity flow deposits,sweet sections with interbeds of mudstone and siltstone formed by fine-grained transitional flows,and sweet sections of shale containing silty and muddy clasts and with horizontal bedding formed by fine-grained debris flow and mud flow.The model of fine-grained gravity flow sedimentation in lacustrine basin is significant for the scientific evaluation of sweet shale oil reservoir and organic-rich source rock.

Provenance and depositional setting of the Late MiocenePleistocene clastic sediments in the eastern Arabian Peninsula and western Iraq using rare earth elements geochemistry

The sandstones of the Late miocene–Pliocene Dibdibba Formation in the Najaf–Karbala Plateau and Basra were examined to determine their source rocks and origin. The rare earth elements(REE) and trace elements(Sc, Co, V, and Th) concentrations in these sandstones revealed that they likely derived from a single source. The steep light rare earth elements(LREE) and flat, heavy rare earth element(HREE) patterns, negative Eu anomaly, and high ΣREE contents in sandstones suggest its derivation from a suggests that a passive continental margin environment and originated from felsic source rocks. The average concentration of ΣREE is 93.5 ppm, which is lower than that of the average crustal compositions like Upper Continental Crust and Post Archean Australian Shale. The higher proportion of LREE compared to HREE implies that these sandstones were recycled and derived from a distal source. The Th/Co, Th/Sc, La/Sc, La/Co, Eu/Eu*and(La/Lu)cn elemental ratios indicated that these Late Miocene–Pliocene sandstones were derived from felsic rocks located in the marginal region of the Arabian Shield.

Tracing suspended and bed sediments during high and low water periods using geochemical characteristics-Case study:Vazrood watershed,northern Iran

Complete and comprehensive information about sediment dynamic and identification of hotspots of sediment production and transport are necessary for understanding the erosion processes and increasing the efficiency of soil and water conservation practices.Numerous studies used the sediment fingerprint techniques to investigate the contribution of different sources in suspended and bed sediment yield of the watersheds.However,the contribution of various land use/land covers in suspended and bed sediment yield for the great Caspian Sea basin is in an aura of ambiguity and the present study was conducted to gather information about an important part of this area in northern Iran,where rangelands are located upstream of Hyrcanian forests and dense agricultural lands are located downstream.The surface soil of different land use/land covers including forest,rangeland,agriculture and streambank lands were sampled in 30 points.Suspended and bed sediments were sampled in the watershed outlet in two high and low water periods.Geochemical characteristics of soil and sediment samples containing 59 elements were measured using ICP-OES GBC Integra.The reliable and suitable tracers from 59 elements were then selected using Range test,Kruskal-Wallis and Discriminant Function Analysis,respectively,in FingerPro package of R software.The results showed that for suspended sediment,streambank and rangeland had the highest contributions of 86.2%and 47.5%,respectively,in two high and low water periods.For bed sediment,in two high and low water periods,rangeland and streambank had the highest contributions of 73.8%and 84.4%,respectively.Land use change and especially human activities such as agriculture,road construction and development of residential areas along the main river riparian zone has led to a significant increase in suspended and bed sediments.

Diversity, Ecology, and Environmental Significance of Foraminifera in Al Hamama and Susah Coastal Regions, Northeastern Libya: Insights from Holocene Sediments

This research initiative, conducted along the coastal zones of Al Hamama and Susah in northeastern Libya, aimed to enhance our understanding of Holocene benthic foraminifera assemblages and the paleoenvironmental parameters in the region. We meticulously gathered five sediment samples to analyze the composition of foraminifera populations within the unconsolidated sedimentary deposits adjacent to these locations. We successfully identified nine distinct benthic foraminifera species, including Amphistegina lobifera, Eliphidium crispum, Sigmoilinita tenuis, Sorites orbiculus, Stomatorbina concentrica, Peneroplis planatus, Pseudotriloculina rotunda, Pyrgoella sphaera, and Triloculina schreberiana. Notably, Eliphidium crispum and Amphistegina lobifera emerged as the most prevalent species. These foraminifera species exhibited distinct ecological preferences, shedding light on paleoenvironmental conditions and climatic fluctuations during the Quaternary Period in the Susah and Al Hamama coastal regions. The presence of Orbulina universa, a planktonic foraminifera species, further enriched our understanding of the paleoenvironment by providing insights into specific water depths and temperature ranges. This research significantly contributes to paleoceanography and environmental reconstruction, highlighting the invaluable use of foraminifera as proxies for exploring past environmental changes. Additionally, the study investigated the impacts of anthropogenic influences on benthic ecosystems in the Al Hamama and Susah coastal areas. These influences included reworked foraminifera specimens and the effects of karst formations, acid rain, and eutrophication. Notably, human-induced factors have visibly affected biogenic fauna and ecosystem dynamics in the study area. Consequently, this research provides valuable insights into paleoenvironmental conditions and ecological dynamics within the Susah and Al Hamama coastal regions, emphasizing the crucial role of foraminifera in reconstructing historical environmental fluctuations.

Assessment of Selenium Contamination in Sediments of the Aby and Tendo Lagoons in Côte d’Ivoire

Selenium is a trace element that can have both beneficial and harmful effects on aquatic life. The Aby Lagoon is a coastal environment in Côte d’Ivoire that receives selenium inputs from various natural and anthropogenic sources. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of selenium in the sediments of the Aby Lagoon and its tributaries, the Tanoe River and the Tendo Lagoon, and to examine the spatial and seasonal variations of selenium concentrations. Sediment samples were collected from different sites and seasons, and selenium concentrations were measured by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The results showed that the average concentration of selenium in the sediments of the Aby Lagoon was 0.82 mg/kg, indicating moderate contamination. The concentration of selenium varied between sites and seasons, with higher values in the channel of the Tendo Lagoon and during the dry season. The study highlighted the complexity of selenium dynamics in aquatic ecosystems, and the need to take into account seasonal and spatial variability as well as interactions between environmental factors. The study also suggested potential ecotoxicological risks for some sensitive organisms in certain areas of the lagoon. This study contributes to the knowledge of the dynamics of selenium in lagoon ecosystems and to the assessment of the environmental risks associated with its presence.

Assessment of Radiological Hazards of Sedimentary, Igneous and Sediments Natural Rocks

Gamma-ray spectroscopy based on a 100% efficiency hyper-pure germanium detector was used to evaluate the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K natural radionuclides in sedimentary, conglomerate, igneous and sedi-ments rock samples collected from four different locations in Eastern desert in Egypt. The obtained activity concentrations are used to evaluate the radi-ological hazards indices, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent in air, radium equivalent, external and internal hazard index, radiation level index, annual gonadal dose equivalent, excess lifetime cancer risk and expo-sure rate. The results show that 1) the absorbed dose rate depends on the rock type, 2) the annual effective dose equivalent in air in 71% of sample below 20 mSvy-1 (permissible limit for workers), 3) the conglomerate rocks show low radioactivity level, 4) sedimentary rocks are rich in radium while igneous rocks are rich in thorium and the sediments rocks are rich in both radium and thorium.

Evaluation of Agricultural Contamination Level by Heavy Metals and Pesticides in Sediments of Rivers and Water Bodies for Shrimp Fishing in the Lower Ouémé: Case of the Aguigadji, Ahlan and Sele Stations in Benin

This study assessed sediment contamination by heavy metals and pesticide active ingredients linked to chemical inputs used in agricultural activities in the lower Ouémé. Pesticide residues from the organochlorine, pyrethroid and organophosphorus families were investigated by gas chromatography, and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, As, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mg, Cr and Hg) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The metallic pollution indices, the contamination factor (CF) and the ecological risk index were calculated. The results revealed 8 active ingredients in the rainy season and 9 in the dry season. Glyphosate was the active ingredient with the highest concentration at all stations, 9.65 ± 0.84 mg/kg recorded in the dry season at the Aguigadji station. All glyphosate values were above the EQS. DDT, Atrazine and Endosulfan also showed high concentrations in the dry and rainy seasons. Emamectin, Abamectin and Lambda Cyhalothrin also showed high concentrations in the dry season at Aguigadji, Ahlan and Sele. Only glyphosate was recorded at the control station (Toho), but in very low concentrations. Lead showed the highest concentrations at all the stations, 265.96 ± 21.02 mg/Kg in the rainy season and 255.38 ± 79.09 mg/Kg in the dry season, all detected at the Aguigadji station and above the EQS. Zn, Ni, Fe, Cu and Cr were all representative in both the dry and rainy seasons at the contaminated stations. Manganese showed high concentrations in the rainy season. Pb showed very high contamination (FC ≥ 6) at the Aguigadji and Ahlan stations and significant contamination (3 ≤ FC 6) at the Sele station in both the rainy and dry seasons. Ni, Hg and Cd, showed either moderate or significant contamination at the contaminated stations. The risk values showed a considerable ecological Ri (190 ≤ Ri < 380) in the rainy season and a moderate ecological Ri (95 ≤ Ri < 190) in the dry season at these contaminated stations.

Cycles of fine-grained sedimentation and their influences on organic matter distribution in the second member of Paleogene Kongdian Formation in Cangdong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,East China

According to the theory of sequence stratigraphy based on continental transgressive-regressive(T-R)cycles,a 500 m continuous core taken from the second member of Kongdian Formation(Kong 2 Member)of Paleogene in Well G108-8 in the Cangdong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,was tested and analyzed to clarify the high-frequency cycles of deep-water fine-grained sedimentary rocks in lacustrine basins.A logging vectorgraph in red pattern was plotted,and then a sequence stratigraphic framework with five-order high-frequency cycles was formed for the fine-grained sedimentary rocks in the Kong 2 Member.The high-frequency cycles of fine-grained sedimentary rocks were characterized by using different methods and at different scales.It is found that the fifth-order T cycles record a high content of terrigenous clastic minerals,a low paleosalinity,a relatively humid paleoclimate and a high density of laminae,while the fifth-order R cycles display a high content of carbonate minerals,a high paleosalinity,a dry paleoclimate and a low density of laminae.The changes in high-frequency cycles controlled the abundance and type of organic matter.The T cycles exhibit relatively high TOC and abundant endogenous organic matters in water in addition to terrigenous organic matters,implying a high primary productivity of lake for the generation and enrichment of shale oil.