Simultaneous Determination of Fluorine and Chlorine in Marine and Stream Sediment by Ion Chromatography Combined with Alkaline Digestion in a Bomb

Fluorine and chlorine are important tracers for geochemical and environmental studies. In this study, a rapid alkaline digestion (NaOH) method for the simultaneous determination of fluorine and chlorine in marine and stream sediment reference samples using ion chromatography is developed. The proposed method suppresses the volatilization loss of fluorine and chlorine and decreases the matrix effects. The results are in good agreement with fluorine ~100%, chlorine ranging from 90 to 95% of the expected concentrations. The detection limits of this method were 0.05 μg/g for fluorine and 0.10 μg/g for chlorine. This method is simple, economical, precise and accurate, which shows great potential for the rapid simultaneous determination of fluorine and chlorine in large batches of geological and environmental samples commonly analyzed for environmental geochemistry studies.

A new local meteoric water line for Inuvik (NT, Canada)

The paper presents a new local meteoric water line (LMWL) of stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in precipitation from Inuvik in the western Canadian Arctic. Data were obtained over 37 months between August 2015 and August 2018 resulting in 134 measurements of the isotopic composition of both types of precipitation, snow and rain. For 33 months of the sampling period each month is represented at least two times from different years. The new LMWL from Inuvik is characterized by a slope of 7.39 and an intercept of −6.70 and fills a data gap in the western Arctic, where isotopic composition data of precipitation are scarce and stem predominantly from before the year 1990. Regional studies of meteorology, hydrology, environmental geochemistry and paleoclimate will likely benefit from the new Inuvik LMWL. Data are available on the PANGAEA repository under https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.935027 (Fritz et al., 2021).

Prof. Santelli, a Tireless Researcher and a Gold-Standard Professor in Analytical Chemistry, kindly spoke to BrJAC

Prof. Dr. Ricardo Erthal Santelli has a degree in Pharmacy from the Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, BR (1972), a master's degree in Inorganic Analytical Chemistry from the Pontifical Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BR (1978), a doctorate in Inorganic Analytical Chemistry from the same institution (1985), and a postdoctoral degree from the University of Córdoba, Spain (1988). He was a full professor of Environmental Geochemistry at the Federal Fluminense University from 1994 until 2010 when he retired. He is currently Full Professor at the Institute of Chemistry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, BR. He works mainly with the development of spectrometric and chromatographic methods, continuous flow injection analysis, and speciation analysis. He develops research mainly on automation in analytical chemistry, environmental geochemistry, and analytical techniques applied to environmental problems. Prof. Santelli has more than 140 scientific articles published in international journals, with more than 5800 citations and an H-index of 32 in addition to several chapters in international books. He has supervised more than 30 master’s and 15 doctoral students. In the editorial field, Prof. Santelli is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the Brazilian Journal of Analytical Chemistry.

The environmental geochemical baseline, background and sources of metal and metalloids present in urban, peri-urban and rural soils in the O´Higgins region, Chile

The importance of environmental geochemistry baseline in soils of O´Higgins Region, Chile, since it hosts in its eastern area one of the major Cu-Mo producing mines in the country, is to establish and explain relationships between the chemical compositions of the Earth’s surface and potential contaminants sources such as mining industry, agriculture and urban activity. A total of 109 samples of urban, peri-urban and rural soils were analyzed with X-ray fluorescence to determine most of the elemental concentrations analyzed. The C and S analyses were performed with the high-temperature combustion method, and a MERCUR mercury analyzer was used for Hg. The study shows that the distribution patterns for most major elements and some trace elements are controlled by the lithologic substrate. This study identified areas with metals and metalloids in high concentrations, which are a risk to the environment and health according to established international regulations. Some of these components correspond to Cu (2500 ppm), Mo (26,5 ppm), As (134,6 ppm), Cr (206.6 ppm), Hg (0.2 ppm), Ni (26.4 ppm), Pb (61.7 ppm), V (227,2 ppm) and Zn (180.3 ppm). Through an elementary association analysis, most of these elements resulted from extractive activities of Cu, metal alloys and oil combustion. It was also possible to trace the use of fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural soils, as well as the combustion of oil related to vehicles in the study area. This information is relevant to implement environmental management strategies to control possible exposure to toxic compounds to human health.

A new local meteoric water line for Inuvik (NT, Canada)

The paper presents a new local meteoric water line (LMWL) of precipitation stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes from Inuvik in the Western Canadian Arctic. Data were obtained over 37 months between August 2015 and August 2018 resulting in 134 measurements of the isotopic composition of both types of precipitation, snow and rain. For 33 months of the sampling period each month is represented at least two times from different years. The new LMWL from Inuvik is characterized by a slope of 7.39 and an intercept of –6.70, and fills a data gap in the Western Arctic where isotopic composition data of precipitation are scarce and stem predominantly from before the year 1990. Regional studies of meteorology, hydrology, environmental geochemistry and paleoclimate will likely benefit from the new Inuvik LMWL.

“Old” and “new” contaminants and their management: learning from the past, looking to the future

Within the 50 year lifetime of the Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health (SEGH), we have seen a number of contaminants transfer from being the wonder chemical of their day through to becoming current contaminants of concern. This is also true for a variety of emerging contaminants such as plastic microbeads, pharmaceutical residues, and fire retardant chemicals, amongst others. This thought piece discusses the risk associated with a range of these emerging contaminants, their global nature, how existing models and frameworks can be applied to deal with their impacts, and research and management gaps and challenges. Graphic Abstract