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A method has been developed for analyzing pyrite quantitatively in the sediments of Erhai Lake in southwest China using 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy combined with a series of acidic pre-treatments. Following a washing with an alkaline solution (0.1N NaOH), the sediment samples were successively treated using HCl, HF, and then HCl (65 °C). The residues thus prepared were analyzed for pyrite using 57Fe Mössbauer spectrometry. The presence of pyrite was also confirmed in the acidic residues of the sediments using sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure. This method can be used to measure pyrite in aquatic sediments, especially when the concentration of pyrite is very low and the particles of pyrite are small or the crystallinity is low, and even in amorphous status. In addition, vertical variations of pyrite contents are positively correlated with organic matter and negatively correlated with hematite, superfine paramagnetic ferric iron and sedimentation rate in the cored sediment from the Erhai Lake. All these geochemical indicators may also reflect environmental changes in sedimentation conditions and diagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy has been applied to the ultramafic rocks collected from the Jinchuan nickel deposit in China to elucidate their mineralization process. Their Mössbauer spectra consisted of two sextets ascribable to magnetite, two doublets ascribable to Fe2+ and Fe3+ in chromite, and one doublet ascribable to olivine. The closest sample to the ore body did not contain chromite and contained a doublet ascribable to pyrite and a sextet ascribable to pyrrhotite. The valence and site distribution of iron species suggested low oxygen fugacity for the formation of the Jinchuan nickel deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between dietary folate intake and genetic polymorphisms of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) with reference to breast cancer risk., Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 669 cases and 682 population-based controls in Jiangsu province of China. MTHFR C677T and A1298C genotypes were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods. Dietary folate intake was assessed by using an 83-item food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated with an unconditional logistic model., Results: The frequencies of MTHFR C677T C/C, C/T and T/T genotypes were 32.37% (202/624), 48.88% (305/624) and 18.75% (117/624) in cases and 37.66% (235/624), 48.24% (301/624) and 14. 10% (88/624) in controls, respectively. The difference in distribution was significant (chi2 = 6.616, P = 0.037), the T/T genotype being associated with an elevated OR for breast cancer (1.62, 95% CI: 1.14 -2.30). The frequencies of MTHFR A1298C A/A, A/C and C/C were 71.47% (446/624), 27.08% (169/624) and 1.44% (9/624) in cases and 68.11%(425/624), 30.13% (188/624) and 1.76% (11/624)in controls,with no significant differences found (chi2 = 1.716, P= 0.424). Folate intake of cases [(263.00 +/- 137.38) microg/d] was significantly lower than that of controls [(285.12 +/- 149.61) microg/d] (t = -2. 830, P =0.005). Compared with the lowest tertile (< or = 199.08 microg/d) of folate intake, the adjusted OR for breast cancer in the top tertile (> or = 315.11 microg/d) was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.53 -0.92). Among individuals with the MTHFR A1298C A/A genotype,adjusted OR for breast cancer were 0.89 (95% CI: 0.62 - 1.27) and 1.69 (95% CI: 1.20 - 2.36) for the second to the third tertile of folate intake compared with the highest folate intake group (X2trend = 11.372, P = 0.001)., Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest that MTHFR genetic polymorphisms,and dietary intake of folate may modify susceptibility to breast cancer.