Anthropogenic sediments

Vorosmarty, C. J., Meybeck, M., Feteke, B., Sharma, K., Green, P., and Syvitski, J. P. M. (2003). Anthropogenic sediment retention major global impact from registered river impoundments. Glob. Planet. Change i9, 169—190. 

Stand both natural and anthropogenic sediments. Conventional soil analysis techniques include a mixture of subjective field designations combined with relatively simple quantitative laboratory tests for important major elements such as carbon, calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, aluminum, and iron (J,2). 

Middleton, W.D. 2004. Identifying chemical activity residues in prehistoric house floors a methodology and rationale for multi-elemental characterization of a mild acid extract of anthropogenic sediments. Archaeometry 46 47-65. 

Metal detectors Instruments that emit an electromagnetic field that is disrupted by the presence of metal objects in the ground, used for finding buried metal objects. Micromorphology The study of anthropogenic sediments at a microscopic level. Microscopic Visible only with magnification. 

Schafer, C.T., Smith, J.N. and Seibert, G. (1983) Significance of natural and anthropogenic sediment inputs to die Saguenay Fjord, Quebec. Sedimentary Geology, 36, 177—194. 

Anthropogenic Sediment component(s) derived from human sources. 

Figure 5 Pb profile in the Danish peat hog of Storelung Mose [48]. (a) Lithogenic Pb, anthropogenic Pb vs. depth (see Ref. [48] for calculation details as well as the isotopic composition summarized by the Pb/ Pb ratio), (b) Diagram Pb/ Pb vs. Pb/ Pb for the leached fraction of the Danish peat samples, also shown UK coal [49], UK leaded gasoline in 1997 [167] and the isotopic composition of a pre-anthropogenic sediment [165].

Currently available CRMs Calibrants are available for TBT (very evident, as TBT is an anthropogenic contaminant) and for a number of other organic tin compounds. There is also an interesting choice of environmental CRMs (sediment and mussel tissue) certified for TBT content. 

DOE. 1997a. Evaluation of the anthropogenic radionuclide concentrations in sediments and fauna collected in the Beaufort Sea and Northern Alaska. Los Alamos National Laboratory. U.S. Department of Energy. LA-13302-MS. UC-721. Contract W-7405-ENG-36. DE-97007-298. 

Evans RD, Rigler FH. 1985. Long distance transport of anthropogenic lead as measured by lake sediments. Water Air Soil Pollut 24 141-151. 

CS2 and COS occur in the atmosphere in significant amounts - CS2, 3.8-4.7 Tg S yr-1, COS, 2.7-3.5 Tg S yr-1 one-fifth to one quarter of these amounts are probably anthropogenic. Biogenic CS2 mainly originates in marine settings - anaerobic sediments (bacteria) and salt marshes with a role for Spartina alterniflora.6,10 Some terrestrial plants produce CS2 and tree roots are another source, usually after cutting or wetting. A tree of central America, Stryphnodendron excelsum. can be detected by its CS2 odor.10... 

Sediments are important compartments for many organic contaminants in the aquatic environment, in particular for hydrophobic POPs such as PAHs and PCBs. Sediments have been recognised as important sinks for these compounds but with the reduction in levels of them in water, the question arises of whether the older highly contaminated sediments will function in the future as secondary sources of the compounds or whether burial by recent, cleaner sediment will prevent exchange with the water phase. This will depend on the strength of turbulence/bioturbation and on anthropogenic influences such as dredging. 

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