Weathering Characteristics of Sloping Fields in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China

For the purpose of understanding the weathering characteristics of surface layers in purple mudstone sloping fields of the Three Gorges Reservoir area of China, oxide content of major elements, composition of clay minerals, magnetic susceptibility, and difference in weathering characteristics of surface layers under different slope gradients were determined. The results showed that the oxide content of Si, Al, and Fe ranged from 60% to 75% and the weathering coefficient with depth showed no trend along the slope gradient. Also, for gentle (10° and 15°) and intermediate (25° and 40°) slopes the clay relative diffraction peak for kaolinite at the surface between 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm declined with an increase in slope gradient, while the relative diffraction peak for kaolinite in weathered layers on steep slopes (50° and 60°) disappeared altogether. Magnetic susceptibility decreased with increasing depth and, for a given depth layer, decreased with an increase in slope gradient. Analysis of the oxide content, weathering coefficients, clay minerals, and magnetic susceptibility showed that in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, the pedogenesis of the weathering layer in purple mudstone sloping fields was weak with weaker soil formation going from gentle slope to steep slope

Integrated Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Sediments from a Coastal Industrial Basin, NE China

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status of metal pollution of the sediments from urban-stream, estuary and Jinzhou Bay of the coastal industrial city, NE China. Forty surface sediment samples from river, estuary and bay and one sediment core from Jinzhou bay were collected and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni and Mn. The data reveals that there was a remarkable change in the contents of heavy metals among the sampling sediments, and all the mean values of heavy metal concentration were higher than the national guideline values of marine sediment quality of China (GB 18668-2002). This is one of the most polluted of the world’s impacted coastal systems. Both the correlation analyses and geostatistical analyses showed that Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd have a very similar spatial pattern and come from the industrial activities, and the concentration of Mn mainly caused by natural factors. The estuary is the most polluted area with extremely high potential ecological risk; however the contamination decreased with distance seaward of the river estuary. This study clearly highlights the urgent need to make great efforts to control the industrial emission and the exceptionally severe heavy metal pollution in the coastal area, and the immediate measures should be carried out to minimize the rate of contamination, and extent of future pollution problems