An experimental study of the scattering of light by natural waters

A blue-sensitive multiplier phototube was used to measure light scattered from a parallel beam in distilled, tap and sea water, the first named serving as a check upon errors from extraneous sources of light. Forward and back scatter are closely the same for distilled water, but with natural waters by far the greater part of the effect occurs through angles less than 25°. A minimum is found for a deviation of about 110°, back scattering increasing somewhat for greater angles. The relative importance of forward scatter increases with turbidity, and in sea water about three-quarters of the effect is due to matter removable by filtration through a collodion filter of average pore diameter 1 μ or by sedimentation; further passage through 0·6 and 0·2 μ filters produces little change. Scattering is greater in blue light. Plymouth tap water scatters more than surface coastal water and the latter more than surface water 20 miles out, station E 1. Surface water scatters more than deeper—the water column being remarkably homogeneous even when a well-marked thermocline had existed for weeks, but a small increase was detectable at the top of the cold water. E 1 surface water increased in scattering between August and January, and decreased till May. Deep water showed little change. Extinction due to scattering between 20 and 155° amounted to less than one-sixth of that found for a similar sample with a Pulfrich photometer, so probably much scattering occurs below 20°. This explains why Pulfrich extinctions are so much greater than vertical extinction coefficients found in the sea. The preponderance of forward scattering within the range 20 to 155° and the effects of filtration suggest that such scattering is due chiefly to refraction through transparent mineral particles, large compared with the wave-length of light. The refractive index of organic matter is too near that of water to produce refraction through angles as large as 20°. Such matter may, however, be responsible for some of the scattering through smaller angles which apparently accounts for most of the turbidity found with the Pulfrich photometer.

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 595-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. N. Anupama ◽  
K. Kannan ◽  
P. V. G. Prajeesh ◽  
S. Rugmini ◽  
B. Krishnakumar

Occurrence of perchlorate (ClO4−), chlorate (ClO3−) and bromate (BrO3−) in public drinking, open well and surface water sources at 20 locations in the South-West coastal state of Kerala (India) is reported. The analysis was performed by high performance liquid chromatography interfaced with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). Irrespective of water source (public tap water, open well water and surface water) all the analyzed samples contained high levels of ClO4−, indicating its contamination throughout the region. The highest ClO4− level found was 91.4 μg/L, which is 3.7 times higher than US EPA recommendations. ClO3− and BrO3− were also detected in the samples, with highest concentrations of 177 and 5.34 μg/L respectively in tap water samples. Regression analysis showed moderate positive correlation between ClO4− and bromide (Br−) in tap water (r2=0.659) and open well water (r2=0.485) samples, respectively. Similar correlation was also observed between ClO4− and Cl− (r2=0.591) concentrations in well water samples, indicating sea water could be one of the probable sources in addition to ClO4− manufacturing in the area. This is the first report of high levels of ClO4− and ClO3− and detectable BrO3− in water samples from anywhere in India.


2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diène Diégane Thiaré ◽  
Atanasse Coly ◽  
Diégane Sarr ◽  
Abdourakhmane Khonté ◽  
Amadou Diop ◽  
...  

<p>The fenvalerate pyrethroid insecticide was determined in various types of natural waters of Senegal by means of a newly-developed, simple, rapid and very sensitive photochemically-induced fluorescence (PIF) method. The PIF method was optimized with respect to the irradiation time, solvent and pH. The obtained calibration curves yielded correlation coefficients very close to unity. The limit of detection (LOD) and of quantification (LOQ) values were very low (LOD = 0.01–0.66 ng/ml and LOQ = 0.04–2.20 ng/ml, according to the solvent), and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values were small, ranging between 0.1 and 1.5 %, which indicated a very good analytical sensitivity and a great repeatability of PIF. Recovery studies were performed on spiked distilled water, tap water, sea water, well water, river water and draining water samples of Senegal, using the liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), solid phase extraction (SPE), and standard addition procedures. Satisfactory recovery results (about 85–121%) were obtained for the determination of fenvalerate in an aquatic environment.</p>


Author(s):  
Elena Kovaleva ◽  
Elena Kovaleva ◽  
Alexander Izhitskiy ◽  
Alexander Izhitskiy ◽  
Alexander Egorov ◽  
...  

Studying of methane formation and distribution in natural waters is important for understanding of biogeochemical processes of carbon cycle, searching for oil and gas sections and evaluation of CH4 emissions for investigations of greenhouse effect. The Black Sea is the largest methane water body on our planet. However, relatively low values of methane concentration (closed to equilibrium with the atmospheric air) are typical of the upper aerobic layer. At the same time, the distribution pattern of CH4 in surface waters of coastal areas is complicated by the influence of coastal biological productivity, continental runoff, bottom sources, hydrodynamic processes and anthropogenic effect. The investigation is focused on the spatial variability of dissolved methane in the surface layer of the sea in coastal regions affected by the continental runoff and anthropogenic pressure. Unique in situ data on methane concentrations were collected along the ship track on 2 sections between Sochi and Gelendzhik (2013, 2014) and 2 sections between Gelendzhik and Feodosia (2015). Overall 170 samples were obtained. Gas-chromatographic analysis of the samples revealed increase of CH4 saturation in the southeastern part of the Crimean shelf and the Kerch Strait area. Such a pattern was apparently caused by the influence of the Azov Sea water spread westward along the Crimean shore from the strait. This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project 14-50-00095 and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Project 16-35-00156 mol_a.


Author(s):  
Elena Kovaleva ◽  
Elena Kovaleva ◽  
Alexander Izhitskiy ◽  
Alexander Izhitskiy ◽  
Alexander Egorov ◽  
...  

Studying of methane formation and distribution in natural waters is important for understanding of biogeochemical processes of carbon cycle, searching for oil and gas sections and evaluation of CH4 emissions for investigations of greenhouse effect. The Black Sea is the largest methane water body on our planet. However, relatively low values of methane concentration (closed to equilibrium with the atmospheric air) are typical of the upper aerobic layer. At the same time, the distribution pattern of CH4 in surface waters of coastal areas is complicated by the influence of coastal biological productivity, continental runoff, bottom sources, hydrodynamic processes and anthropogenic effect. The investigation is focused on the spatial variability of dissolved methane in the surface layer of the sea in coastal regions affected by the continental runoff and anthropogenic pressure. Unique in situ data on methane concentrations were collected along the ship track on 2 sections between Sochi and Gelendzhik (2013, 2014) and 2 sections between Gelendzhik and Feodosia (2015). Overall 170 samples were obtained. Gas-chromatographic analysis of the samples revealed increase of CH4 saturation in the southeastern part of the Crimean shelf and the Kerch Strait area. Such a pattern was apparently caused by the influence of the Azov Sea water spread westward along the Crimean shore from the strait. This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project 14-50-00095 and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Project 16-35-00156 mol_a.


1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 117-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Watanabe ◽  
S. Sakai ◽  
H. Takatsuki

Examination of individual degradation paths (biodegradation and photolysis) of butyltin compounds (especially tributyltin: TBT) in natural waters was performed. Biodegradation of TBT and dibutyltin (DBT) in an unfiltered sea water in summer is rather fast; their half life is about a week. But pretreatment with glass fiber filter makes the half life of TBT much longer (about 80 days). Photolysis of TBT in sea water by sun light is rapid (half life is about 0.5 days), and faster than in distilled water or in fresh water. Degradation rates of each process for TBT are calculated in various conditions of sea water, and contribution rates are compared. Biodegradation will be the main degradation process in an “SS-rich” area such as a marina, but photolysis will exceed that in a “clean” area. Over all half lives of TBT in sea water vary from 6 days to 127 days considering seasons and presence of SS.


Radiocarbon ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 684-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgette Delibrias

14C measurements were carried out on sea water samples collected in 1973, in the Indian ocean. The results obtained for 9 vertical profiles between 27° S and 48°S are presented. In surface water, the bomb 14C content is maximum at middle latitudes. A time lag relative to the north hemisphere bomb 14C delivery is apparent. In the more southern latitudes, 14C content remains very low.


2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-42
Author(s):  
Makoto TANIGUCHI ◽  
Hiroyuki TOSAKA
Keyword(s):  

1988 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 701-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. Aksu ◽  
G. Vilks

Oxygen and carbon isotopic analyses have been performed on the tests of Planulina wuellerstorfi and three size fractions of sinistral Neogloboquadrina pachyderma recovered from 33 Arctic Ocean surface-sediment samples. Stable isotopic compositions of N. pachyderma are found to be dependent on the test size: larger specimens show considerable enrichment in both δ18O and δ18C. The difference between the isotopic compositions of the 63–125 and 125–250 μm size fractions in N. pachyderma can be explained by biogenic fractionation effects during foraminiferal test growth. Larger (250–500 μm) N. pachyderma displayed accretions of secondary calcite, i.e., the outermost shell contained significant amounts of inorganically precipitated magnesium calcite. Thus, larger foraminifera may not be suited for down-core stable isotopic studies. There is a difference of ~2‰ between δ18O values of surface samples from the eastern and western Arctic Ocean, reflecting large differences between surface-water salinity in these regions. Therefore, oxygen isotopic data may have limited use as a chronostratigraphic tool in down-core studies in the Arctic Ocean, but we can use them to infer past variations in surface-water salinities. Planulina wuellerstorfi also showed depletions of both δ18O and δ18C in its calcite tests relative to calcite precipitated in isotopic equilibrium with ambient sea water; these depletions ranged from −0.8 to −0.9‰ in δ18Oand −1.2 to −0.9‰ in δ18C. This taxon is found to deposit its shell very close to the δ18C of ΣCO2 of bottom waters.


This paper deals with chemical analyses for hydrogen, sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, sulphate and nitrate ions in daily precipitation samples collected in the English Lake District, and examines the correlations of these analyses with ( a ) one another, ( b ) the amount of precipitation, ( c ) wind direction, ( d ) wind velocity, and ( e ) temperature. Highly significant correlations are found between estimates for H, K, Ca, NO 3 and SO 4 ions, and atmospheric pollution appears to supply much of the sulphate in Lake District rain, since it comes largely as sulphuric acid from the south-east. The correlation between Na and Cl is also extremely close, with the proportion between the two ions very similar to that in sea water. Since these two ions are supplied mainly from the south-west, in amounts which are greatly increased by high winds, sea spray may be inferred as the principal source. Nevertheless, evidence is presented for some small supply from atmospheric pollution, and it is furthermore suggested that mixed droplets of sea salt and sulphuric acid may, upon abstraction of moisture by freezing or evaporation, release gaseous hydrogen chloride to the air and so alter the balance of Na and Cl in precipitation. The supply of Na and Cl is also considerably higher in cold than in warm weather, a phenomenon possibly connected with stormier conditions and greater evaporation over the Atlantic Ocean. The atmospheric contribution of ions to natural waters via precipitation is shown to be of great importance, in particular to bog pools, to upland tarns on hard rocks, and to the soil solution in highly organic mor humus layers overlying heavily leached hillside soils. Sodium and chloride in most surface waters appears to be almost wholly supplied by sea spray, while calcium and magnesium bicarbonates are the main products of soil weathering. A net loss of rain acids is evident in all soil waters, although some may be more acid than normal rain water owing to considerable concentration by evaporation. The soil waters are relatively rich in potassium, presumably supplied from decaying vegetation.


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