Modeling the early development of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) hinges on the configuration and evolution of Paleogene terrestrial landscapes associated with the West Antarctic Rift System. A widely applied but previously untested paleotopographic reconstruction for the Eocene/Oligocene boundary suggests that much of central West Antarctica was as much as 1,000 m above sea level at that time, constituting a key nucleating site for an early WAIS. Here we show that Paleogene age marine and terrestrial microfossil assemblages and biomarkers in sediments recovered from beneath the WAIS provide direct evidence contrary to this widely utilized “maximum” paleotopographic reconstruction. These new constraints call for significantly modified tectonic and ice sheet model parameterization and also provide insights into modern differential uplift across the West Antarctic Rift System.
Surface salt bodies in the western Kuqa fold-thrust belt of northwestern China allow study of subaerial salt kinematics and its possible correlations with weather variations. Ephemeral subaerial salt exposure during the evolution of a salt structure can greatly impact the subsequent development and deformation of its tectonic setting. Here, we present a quantitative time-lapse survey of surface salt deformation measured from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) using Envisat radar imagery acquired between 2003 and 2010. Time series analysis and inspection of individual interferograms confirm that the majority of the salt bodies in western Kuqa are active, with significant InSAR observable displacements at 3 of 4 structures studied in the region. Subaerial salt motion toward and away from the satellite at rates up to 5 mm/yr with respect to local references. Rainfall measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and temperature from a local weather station are used to test the relationship between seasonality and surface salt motion. We observe decoupling between surface salt motion and seasonality and interpret these observations to indicate that regional and local structural regimes exert primary control on surface salt displacement rates.
The aims of this work are to develop suitable analytical methods to determine the widely used anticonvulsant carbamazepine and 12 of its degradation/transformation products in water, sediment, fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and mollusc (Dreissena polymorpha). Protocols based on solid phase extraction for water, pressurized-liquid extraction for sediments and QuEChERS (quick easy cheap efficient rugged and safe) extraction for both organisms followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are developed, validated and finally applied to samples collected during a 6-month experiment in outdoor mesocosms. Very low detection limits are reached, allowing environmentally realistic doses (namely, 0.05, 0.5 and 5 μg/L nominal concentrations) to be employed. The results indicate several metabolites and/or transformation products in each compartment investigated, with concentrations sometimes being greater than that of the parent carbamazepine. Biotic degradation of carbamazepine is demonstrated in water, leading to 10,11-dihydrocarbamazepine and 10,11-epoxycarbamazepine. In sediment, the degradation results in the formation of acridine, and 2- and 3-hydroxycarbamazepine. Finally, in both organisms, a moderate bioaccumulation is observed together with a metabolization leading to 10,11-epoxycarbamazepine in fish and 2-hydroxycarbamazepine in mollusc. Acridone is also present in fish. This study provides new and interesting data, helping to elucidate how chronic exposure to carbamazepine at relevant concentrations may affect impact freshwater ecosystems.
Pharmaceuticals are emerging organic contaminants ubiquitously present in the environment due to incessant input into the aquatic compartment mainly resulting from incomplete removal in wastewater treatment plants. One of the major preoccupations concerning pharmaceuticals released into surface waters is their potential for bioaccumulation in biota, possibly leading to deleterious effects on ecosystems especially as they could affect a broad variety of organisms living in or depending on the aquatic environment. Thus, the development of accurate and sensitive methods is necessary to detect these compounds in aquatic ecosystems. Considering this need, this study deals with the analytical development of a methodology to quantify traces of diclofenac together with some of its biotic and abiotic transformation products in whole-body tissue of three-spined stickleback. A simple and reliable extraction method based on a modified QuEChERS extraction is implemented on 200 mg of fish. The detection and quantification of the ten target compounds are performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The whole process was successfully validated regarding linearity, recovery, repeatability, and reproducibility. The method limits of detection and quantification do not exceed 1 ng/g. To reproduce environmental conditions, we measured the concentration of DCF and its transformation products in three-spined sticklebacks after a 6-month exposure in mesocosms at several levels of DCF ranging from 0.05 to 4.1 μg/L. The phase I metabolite 4'-hydroxydiclofenac was detected in fish samples exposed at the highest DCF concentration. Graphical abstract Analysis of diclofenac and some of its transformation products in the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, by QuEChERS extraction followed by LC-MS/MS.
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