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This second volume in the series 'Fundamentals in Organic Geochemistry' focusses on molecular chemical aspects introducing the structural diversity of natural products, their fate in the sedimentary systems and the consequences of the corresponding alterations for geoscientific questions. Organic Geochemistry is a modern scientific subject characterized by a high transdisciplinarity and located at the edge of chemistry, environmental sciences, geology and biology. Therefore, there is a need for a flexible offer of appropriate academic teaching material on an undergraduate level addressed to the variety of students coming originally from different study disciplines. For such a flexible usage this textbook series consists of different volumes with clear defined aspects and with manageable length.

This book details first the chemistry of hydrogen production from biomass. Solutions to the CO2 issue are given in three chapters, which describe CO2 photo catalytic reduction, CO2 sequestration in terrestrial biomass, and plants as renewable fuels. Further chapters review the selenium cycle in ecosystems, advanced processes to treat water and ecological ways to dye textiles. Society growth during the last century has almost entirely relied on the carbon economy, which is the use of fossil fuels for energy and materials. The carbon economy has provided and will still provide many benefits. However, the increasing use of fossil fuels is partly responsible for the increase of atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and, in turn, global warming. There is therefore an urgent need for cleaner fuels such as hydrogen, as well as a need for a carbon neutral economy where each emitted CO2 molecule is fast sequestered in plants, algae, soils, sub soils and sediments.

This book presents advanced methods to analyse and clean pollutants, such as nanotechnology to treat water, techniques to remediate building materials, and bioindicators. It is very important that the understanding of these methods are brought to the attention of scientists, as cities and ecosystems are still polluted by toxic compounds despite efforts to clean the planet.

Water is the driving force of all nature. This old quote from Leonardo da Vinci remind us that without water life is simply not possible. As a consequence, water is probably the most important wealth for humanity. In spite of this, drinking water is still polluted by man-made toxicals gathered by waters in soils and the atmosphere. This book presents advanced methods to clean water and air. Chapters also focus on biofuels, greenhouse gases and genetically modified crops.

The first volume in this new text book series covers comprehensively relevant aspects related to the appearance and characterisation of fossil matter in the geosphere such as kerogen, oil, shales and coals. As organic geochemistry is a modern scientific subject characterized by a high transdisciplinarity and located at the edge of chemistry, environmental sciences, geology and biology, there clearly is a need for a flexible offer of appropriate academic teaching material on an undergraduated level addressed to the variety of students coming originally from different study disciplines. For such a flexible usage this textbook series' consists of different volumes with clear defined aspects and with manageable length.

Natural hazards (2022). doi:10.1007/s11069-022-05391-y, Published by Springer Science + Business Media B.V., Dordrecht [u.a.]

Reliable identification and quantification of water-soluble synthetic polymers (WSSP), such as polyethyleneimine (PEI), is crucial for understanding their potential impact on certain ecological environments. Therefore, this study proposes an analytical method combining on-line and off-line pyrolysis GC/MS to investigate the pyrolytic degradation. mechanism of branched PEI and develop a calibration method using specific pyrolysis. products, including methylpyrazine, dimethylpyrazine, ethylmethylpyrazine, trimethylpyrazine, methylpropylpyrazine and ethyldimethylpyrazine, for the. quantification of PEI in environmental wastewater samples. The developed analytical. method shows adequate linearity for all molecular ions of the specific pyrolysis. products, with a determination coefficient ranging from 0.95 to 0.98 for the range of 10–500 μg PEI. The limit of quantification for this method lies between 1 and 10 μg/L of PEI. The accuracy (absolute recovery 71–95%) and reproducibility (RSD < 30%) were. evaluated by multiple spiking/recovery experiments at a PEI level of 500 μg. Using this. method for samples collected from different wastewater treatment plants in Germany. reveals a significant emission of PEI to the aquatic environment with concentrations. ranging from 0.08 mg L-1–0.55 mg L-1, and thus demonstrating its applicability in. environmental studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the. occurrence of PEI in environmental samples. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

The proportion of organic matter and mineral composition are important factors determining the formation and type of non-extractable residues (NERs) of pesticides in soil. In this study, we investigated the enantioselectivity in degradation and NER formation of the chiral fungicide metalaxyl in soil particle size fractions (silt and clay). Microbial and extracellular enzyme activities during these processes were monitored in incubation of silt and clay samples isolated from sterilized and non-sterilized soil samples collected from a long-term agricultural field experimental site in Ultuna, Sweden. The temporal influence on the fate of the fungicide was noted by short-term (10-d) and long-term (92-d) incubations. Besides the acquisition of quantitative data with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), stereoselective analyses were performed with chiral GC/MS. Quantitative results pointed to a higher metabolism rate of the pesticide through microbial activity than through extracellular enzyme activity. This was also confirmed by the enantioselective depletion of R-metalaxyl and the subsequent formation of R-metalaxyl acid in microbially active samples from non-sterilized soil. The silt fraction containing a high amount of organic matter exhibited a significant hydrolyzable proportion of metalaxyl NERs that was releasable under alkaline conditions. On the contrary, the clay fraction showed an enhanced affinity for covalently bound residues. Based on our results, we recommend differentiating between reversibly and irreversibly bound proportions of pesticides in persistence and environmental risk assessment because the reversible fraction contained potentially bioavailable amounts of residues that may be released under natural conditions.

Environmental monitoring and assessment 194(5), 385 (2022). doi:10.1007/s10661-022-09989-4, Published by Springer Science + Business Media B.V, Dordrecht [u.a.]

With a projected increase in frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events, the fast-growing coastal population centers of the Asian Global South experience a higher susceptibility to flood-related pollution. This is fueled by rapid land-use changes, urbanization, a multitude of emission sources, as well as anthropogenic- and flood-induced remobilization and relocation of pollutants. To yield a more comprehensive understanding of riverine and coastal floods in conjunction with these rapid urban and land-use changes, their impact on the environment and the health risks posed to local communities, sedimentary archives need to be studied.Meandering through densely populated urban areas, Chennai’s rivers (Cooum and Adyar) and coastal systems have been affected by monsoon-induced floods (e.g., 2015 South Indian floods) and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Simultaneously, Chennai experienced an explosive population growth over the past 30 years, with the coinciding changes in land-use, urbanization, anthropogenic alterations to aquatic systems (e.g., damming, dredging), and (unregulated) environmental pollution. Especially the missing regulations, as well as growing volumes of sewage and physical waste have an enormous toll on the aquatic systems, but also pose threats by remobilization during floods.To investigate potential flood-induced strata and chemostratigraphic changes over time, a total of nine sediment profiles along the Adyar and Cooum rivers are subject to GC-MS analyses of organic pollutants in correlation to stratigraphic changes in the obtained sediment profiles.First results indicate that organic pollutants, such as petrogenic compounds (hopanes, PAHs), urban wastewater compounds (LABs, DEHA, methyl-triclosane), technical compounds (Mesamoll®, DPE, NBFA) and pesticides (e.g., DDX) allow for the identification of past flooding events and their characterization in terms of release and distribution of pollution. These proxies are used to assess (chemo-)stratigraphical alterations preserved in these sedimentary archives. However, sedimentary archives in fast-growing, urbanized environments are influenced by physical anthropogenic alterations leading to superimpositions or a hiatus in the sedimentary archives, thus hampering with the (chemo-)stratigraphic reconstruction of past flooding events and environmental changes.

The 2021 European floods (July 13th–16th, 2021) marked Germany’s deadliest (>180 fatalities) and most costly (>€ 30 billion) natural disaster of the 21st century. In North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) the floods have caused drastic scenes of destruction along small mountainous river systems, such as the Vicht and Inde rivers. Alongside this destruction stands the release of organic pollutants and the remobilization of sediment-associated old burdens in the former mining area of Stolberg. In a preliminary study 10 samples along the floodplains and urban areas of Vicht and the successive Inde rivers have been collected directly after the flood to determine the pollution concentration, dispersion and potential sources. With this information an assessment of the short-term and long-term environmental risks can be evaluated.First results show acute enrichment of organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs – petrogenic pollutants), polychlorinated biphenlys (PCBs – old burdens/plasticizers) and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs – sewage). The sewage indicators show their highest release and accumulation in samples taken in the urban areas, and subsequently dilute along the natural floodplain segments. This repeats for at least for Stolberg and Eschweiler, which were flooded by the Vicht and Inde, respectively. Old burdens, such as represented by PCBs, related to historical and present heavy industry in the vicinity to the rivers. The flood caused the remobilization of respective old burdens from contaminated plains and urban sources. Petrogenic markers, especially those of PAHs, have been measured in concentrations of mg/kg, vastly exceeding all environmental guidelines and restrictions. These can also be linked to the flooding of industrial and urban sites (e.g., household oil heating tanks, vehicles).The wide range of observed pollution and fast dispersion of sediment-associated pollutants can be linked to the highly dynamic nature of this flood. In addition, the multitude of historical (mining, heavy industry) and present sources (e.g., fuels, oil, factory effluents, wastewater), sediment-associated pollutants have been remobilized or acutely released with the flood. This unprecedented 2021 European floods may allow insights into the relationships and interactions between hydrodynamics, sedimentology and pollution during such events.

Due to extreme precipitation and runoff, severe flooding occurred in Germany in the summer of 2021 (July 13th–16th). In the catchment area of the Rur river, especially along its tributaries Inde and Wurm, but also along the Rur itself, this flood caused severe destruction and impacts on modern and older floodplains and anthropogenic utilized areas. This led to the acute and unusual input of harmful organic pollutants, as well as the remobilization and relocation of old burdens.Particularly floodplains are of central importance during such flood events as their natural functions include water, sediment, and nutrient retention, as well as the self-purification of water bodies. The focus of this investigation was therefore on the importance and relevance of natural floodplains during and after the 2021 summer flood. For this purpose, 16 different floodplains distributed throughout the Rur’s course were sampled immediately after the flood. The objectives were to determine pollutant concentrations, distribution, and accumulation, as well as the identification of potential pollution sources. In this context, the results of previous floodplain sampling and regular monitoring of the river’s sediments are also considered.Preliminary results indicate elevated concentrations of several organic pollutant groups, including PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and LABs (linear alkylbenzenes). These substances are indicators of petrogenic pollution, historical (old burdens) and current heavy industry in the catchment area, and, of wastewater and urban pollution, respectively.By considering these indicators and identifying emission sources (e.g., wastewater treatment plants, destructed infrastructure and industry along the main river and its tributaries) and accumulation areas that are relevant for remobilization, statements can be obtained about the high dynamics of the flood event. Furthermore, the importance of natural floodplains for the accumulation and remobilization of organic pollutants, but also the self-purification of water bodies is thus investigated and emphasized. This is of great importance for the holistic assessment of the fate and behaviour of organic pollutants as well as for the estimation of short- and long-term environmental risks and hazards related to (extreme) flood events.

Microplastics are detected in most environmental compartments and hence receive a great deal of attention, especially in aquatic environments where rivers act as pathways for microplastics. Currently, a particularly high input of microplastics through Asian rivers is assumed predominantly by modelling data, while field measurements are scanty.Three rivers in South India were considered for this purpose to focus on their microplastic loads. The emphasis was on the comparison of microplastic concentrations in urban and rural rivers to identify if the anthropogenic influence control the loads. While two rivers in the megacity Chennai (Tamil Nadu) were found to have an average microplastic concentration of 0.4 microplastic particles/L, a rural river near Munnar (Kerala) had an average concentration of 0.2 microplastic particles/L. The results show higher loads in the urban area with a high anthropogenic influence by wastewater discharges and waste disposal through high number of residents dumping directly by the river. Fibres were the predominant shape (64.13%), black was the predominant particle colour (44.80%) and polyethylene and polyprolyene were the predominant polymers (each 46.67%) detected within the identified particles of all samples.Rough estimates of annual microplastic discharge from the Adyar River (Chennai) into the Bay of Bengal are found to be as high as 11.6 trillion microplastic particles. This study, which is one of the first baseline studies for microplastic loads in South Indian streams, should be complemented with further environmental sampling during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons to get more detailed information on the storage and transportation of fluvial microplastics and to understand the seasonal effect on the river flow characteristics as well as the fate of microplastics.

The rapid development of Indonesia over the past 20 years and also its increasing negative impact on the environment are by far best to be seen at the metropolitan area and the corresponding coastal ecosystems of Jakarta. All the information and facts reported in this chapter regarding the environmental state of Jakarta Bay demonstrate impressively the huge anthropogenically induced pressure and stress this ecosystem is exposed to. Additionally, an intact ecosystem is a basic precondition for many aspects directly impacting human beings around the Bay covering, e.g., seafood health, drinking water accessibility, or recreation needs. Noteworthy, the investigations reported here do not remain on the description of the environmental status but explored also the relevant processes behind inducing the pollution problems and, consequently, point to potential solutions. Abstrak Pesatnya pembangunan di Indonesia selama 20 tahun terakhir, termasuk dampak negatifnya pada lingkungan dapat dilihat pada kawasan metropolitan Jakarta maupun ekosistem pesisir di sekitarnya. Data dan informasi yang ditampilkan pada chapter/bab ini menunjukkan adanya ancaman dan cekaman antropogenik yang serius pada lingkungan Teluk Jakarta. Sementara itu, sebuah ekosistem yang terpelihara dengan baik merupakan faktor penting bagi berbagai aspek yang berpengaruh langsung pada kehidupan masyarakat di sekitar pesisir, seperti keamanan produk perikanan, akses air bersih, maupun kegiatan rekreasi. Oleh karena itu, hasil penelitian ini tidak hanya menjelaskan kondisi lingkungan Teluk Jakarta, tetapi juga melihat lebih dalam faktor-faktor yang menyebabkan terjadinya pencemaran serta memberikan alternatif solusinya.

The molecular and isotopic composition of biomarkers in initial bitumen isolated from immature (0.41% Rr) oil shale samples (Aleksinac deposit) and liquid products obtained by pyrolysis in open (OS) and closed (CS) systems are studied. The influence of pyrolysis type and variations of kerogen type on biomarkers composition and their isotopic signatures in liquid products is determined. The applicability of pyrolysis type, numerous biomarkers and carbon isotopic compositions (δ13C) of n-alkanes in liquid pyrolysates is established. Pyrolysis experiments were performed on two selected samples that showed high content of total organic carbon and hydrocarbon generation potential, but also certain variations in sources/depositional environment of organic matter (type I and mixed type I/II kerogen) within previous research of the oil shales sample set. The biomarker signatures were evaluated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and δ13C of individual n-alkanes in bitumen and liquid pyrolysates. The molecular composition of liquid pyrolysates from the OS is very similar to those in initial bitumen, independently on kerogen type, confirming algal origin of organic matter (OM) deposited in lacustrine environment, even more apparently than results of initial bitumen. Therefore, OS can be useful for assessment of source and depositional environment of OM. Pyrolysis in the CS caused more intense thermal alterations, therefore the source fingerprints sometimes notably disappear. The liquid pyrolysates from the CS have the distributions of biomarkers similar to those in crude oils. The biomarker maturity parameters showed slightly higher values in the CS pyrolysate of mixed type I/II kerogen in relation to type I kerogen. δ13C of n-alkanes in liquid pyrolysates from the OS are isotopically lighter in comparison to bitumen, independently on kerogen type. Oppositely, in liquid pyrolysates from the CS, they become heavier than in bitumen, indicating the thermal influence on δ13C signatures, with more pronounced difference for type I kerogen. This is the peer-reviewed version of the following article: Gajica, G.; Šajnović, A.; Stojanović, K.; Schwarzbauer, J.; Kostić, A.; Jovančićević, B. A Comparative Study of the Molecular and Isotopic Composition of Biomarkers in Immature Oil Shale (Aleksinac Deposit, Serbia) and Its Liquid Pyrolysis Products (Open and Closed Systems). Marine and Petroleum Geology 2022, 136, 105383. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2021.105383] Published version: [https://cer.ihtm.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/4900]

Environmental earth sciences 80(8), 314 (2021). doi:10.1007/s12665-021-09531-8, Published by Springer, Berlin ; Heidelberg

Fluvial sediments can act as archives for lipophilic pollutants. However, their distribution within the highly dynamic regime of the river corridor is scarcely investigated. Herein, a novel approach combining geochemical investigations of sediment bodies in the river corridor of the Wurm River (catchment < 400 km2) and aerial photograph evaluation provide information about the history of river course change and the distribution of pollution by selected persistent organic compounds (POPs) and selected heavy metals. The study is based on nine sediment cores and a total number of 45 subsamples. The sediment samples were analyzed for trace element inventory (X-ray fluorescence), grain size composition (laser diffraction particle size analyzer), and organic compounds (chromatography-mass spectrometry). On the basis of quantitative data of persistent organic substances as well as three heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) and morphological changes from 1953 until 2016 of the area of investigation provided by eight aerial photographs, analyzed sediments were assigned to different decades, and lateral migration rates as well as deposition rates were calculated. High morphodynamics within the river corridor limits the explanatory power of single approaches (for example, geochronology and radiometric dating). However, a combination enables further insight into floodplains such as the pollution history, spatial pollutant dispersal, hotspot localization, meander migration rates (0.2–0.5 m year−1), sedimentation rates (0.5–5.2 cm year−1) and estimation of hotspot remobilization. Quantitative data for the analyzed heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) show a decreasing trend for locations with younger sediment bodies, whereas quantitative data for the synthetic organic pollutants reflect the corresponding history of emissions with increasing concentrations until a climax followed by decreasing concentrations due to restrictions regarding their application. Results reveal hotspot areas for POPs and their degree of remobilization. This study demonstrates that by knowing the history of emissions of a lipophilic substance, potential hotspots can be localized solely based on a sufficient number of aerial photographs documenting the river channel migration and sediment body formation in the corresponding period of time.

In 1755 CE, a strong earthquake followed by a transatlantic tsunami destroyed large coastal areas; it also left its sedimentary imprints in the Boca do Rio valley (western Algarve, Portugal). This tsunami layer is very well preserved and has been analysed in several studies. Deposits of preceding extreme wave events, however, have rarely been described for the entire Algarve coast. In this study, we present a multiproxy analysis of seven sediment cores from the Boca do Rio region, organized in two crossing transects, one parallel and the other perpendicular to the coastline. The geochronological framework has been established by combining radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating with sedimentological and geochemical analyses (XRF, C/N, magnetic susceptibility, granulometry, micropalaeontology), and covers the palaeogeographical evolution of that area for the last four millennia. As expected, the 1755 CE tsunami was easily identified at all coring sites, as a sandwiched stratum between fine-grained alluvium. This event layer presents several tsunami characteristics, such as erosive basal contact, rip-up clasts, a fining-upward sequence, and a mud cap. At one coring site, a second extreme wave event layer of marine origin was detected within floodplain deposits, due to its granulometric, XRF, magnetic susceptibility and micropalaeontological properties. It is stratigraphically located below the 1755 CE Lisbon tsunami layer and can be associated with another yet undocumented extreme wave event, most likely dating to the mid or late 1st millennium CE.

The present-day human footprint is traceable in all environments. Growing urban centers, tourism, agricultural and industrial activities in combination with fishery, aquacultures and intense naval traffic, result in a large output of pollutants onto coastal regions. The Algarve shelf (Portugal) is one exemplary highly affected coastal system. With this study the contemporary pollution was followed in eighteen offshore surface sediment samples. Heavy metals (e.g., Cr, Pb, Cu, Hg) and organic contaminants, such as linear alkylbenzenes, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane metabolites, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and hopanes, have been identified and quantified, that pose hazardous effects on the marine environment and biota. This study correlates spatial distribution patterns with the pollutant composition, potential sources and pathways, each sample's grain size, and local influences, such as discharging river systems and ocean currents. This study presents a blueprint-study that allows the methodological adaption to new shelf systems with regionally different ocean current-driven distribution patterns of anthropogenic pollutants.

s & presentations / EGU General Assembly 2021 EGU General Assembly 2021, EGU21, online, 19 Apr 2021 - 30 Apr 2021; G��ttingen : Copernicus Gesellschaft mbH EGU21-1985, 1 Seite (2021). doi:10.5194/egusphere-egu21-1985, Published by Copernicus Gesellschaft mbH, G��ttingen

М30 М33 The molecular and isotopic composition of biomarkers in initial bitumen isolated from raw immature oil shale samples from the Lower Miocene Aleksinac Basin (Serbia) and liquid products (LPs) obtained by pyrolysis in open (OS) and closed systems (CS) are studied. The influence of pyrolysis type and variations of kerogen type on biomarkers composition and their isotopic signatures in LPs is determined. The molecular composition of the LPs from the OS pyrolysis is very similar to those in initial bitumen, independently on kerogen type. The LPs from the CS pyrolysis have the distributions of biomarkers similar to those in crude oils generated in an early to main stage of “oil window“. The biomarker data suggests that mixed type I/II kerogen attained slightly higher maturity level by the CS pyrolysis than type I kerogen. The isotopic signatures of n-alkanes in LPs obtained by the OS pyrolysis are isotopically lighter than in initial bitumen, independently on kerogen type, whereas in liquid products from the CS they become heavier; showing more pronounced difference for type I kerogen. The results indicate that δ13C data should be used with caution in interpretation of samples having different maturity and particularly of LPs obtained by different system pyrolysis.

Water 13(12), 1648 (2021). doi:10.3390/w13121648 special issue: "Special Issue "Microplastics in Water Bodies and in the Environment" / Special Issue Editors: Dr. Hrissi K. Karapanagioti, Guest Editor; Dr. Ioannis K. Kalavrouziotis, Guest Editor", Published by MDPI, Basel

Sedimentology : the journal of the International Association of Sedimentologists (2021). doi:10.1111/sed.12879, Published by Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford

s & presentations : EGU General Assembly 2021 EGU General Assembly 2021, vEGU21, online, 19 Apr 2021 - 30 Apr 2021; G��ttingen : Copernicus Gesellschaft mbH EGU21-14389, 2 Seiten (2021). doi:10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14389, Published by Copernicus Gesellschaft mbH, G��ttingen

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent and toxic contaminants that are ubiquitous in the environment. They can incorporate into soil as nonextractable residues (NER) which are not detectable with conventional analytical protocols but are still possible to remobilize with changes of surrounding conditions, and thus will be bioavailable again. Therefore, there is a need to investigate thoroughly the long-term fate of NER-PFAS. In this study, a 240-day incubation of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and its alternative 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B) in a silty clay topsoil was carried out. Solvent extraction, alkaline hydrolysis and sequential chemical degradation were applied on periodically sampled soil to obtain extractable, moderately bound and deeply bound PFAS, respectively. The results confirmed the formation of NER of both compounds but with different preferences of incorporating mechanisms. NER-PFOS was formed predominantly by covalent binding (via head group) and strong adsorption (via tail group). The formation of NER-F-53B was mainly driven by physical entrapment. Both bound compounds within the incubation period showed three-stage behaviors including an initial period with slight release followed by a (re) incorporating stage and a subsequent remobilizing stage. This work provides some first insights on the long-term dynamic behaviors of nonextractable PFAS and will be conducive to their risk assessment and remediation (e.g. estimating potential NER-PFAS level based on their free extractable level, and selecting remediation methods according to their prevailing binding mechanisms).

Microplastic particles have been recognized as global hazardous pollutants in the last few decades pointing to the importance of analyzing and monitoring microplastics, especially in soils and sediments. This study focused on a multi-step approach for microplastic analysis combining grain size fractionation, density separation and identification by μ-FTIR-spectroscopy. Eight widely used polymers (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polystyrol (PS), polyethylenterephthalate (PET), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyurethane (PU) and polyamide (PA)) were fractionated into four groups of grain sizes (0.1–5 mm). Thereafter, sea sand was spiked with these particles to test a ZnCl2-based density separation for the polymer types and the various grain sizes. The obtained recovery rates were close to 100% showing that ZnCl2-based density separation is suitable to separate the polymer particles from a sandy matrix. This approach was extended on three further environmental matrices and recovery rates for two of them (sandy-silty and fine-grained sediment) also provided reliable values (94–106%). Lastly, the developed multi-step approach was verified by analyzing an environmental sample (sediment from river Tiranë, Albania) characterized by smaller grain size and moderate organic matter content. Identification of two polymer types in different grain size classes verified the suitability of the developed approach for microplastic analyses on particulate matter such as soils and sediments.

Nonextractable residues (NER) are pollutants incorporated into the matrix of natural solid matter via different binding mechanisms. They can become bioavailable or remobilize during physical-chemical changes of the surrounding conditions and should thus not be neglected in environmental risk assessment. Sediments, soils, and groundwater sludge contaminated with DDXs (DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane; and its metabolites) were treated with solvent extraction, sequential chemical degradation, and thermochemolysis to study the fate of NER-DDX along different environmental aquatic-terrestrial pathways. The results showed that DDT and its first degradation products, DDD (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane) and DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene), were dominant in the free extractable fraction, whereas DDM (dichlorodiphenylmethane), DBP (dichlorobenzophenone), and DDA (dichlorodiphenylacetic acid) were observed primarily after chemical degradation. The detection of DDA, DDMUBr (bis( p-chlorophenyl)-bromoethylene), DDPU (bis( p-chlorophenyl)-propene) and DDPS (bis( p-chlorophenyl)-propane) after chemical treatments evidenced the covalent bindings between these DDXs and the organic matrix. The identified NER-DDXs were categorized into three groups according to the three-step degradation process of DDT. Their distribution along the different pathways demonstrated significant specificity. Based on the obtained results, a conceptual model of the fate of NER-DDXs on their different environmental aquatic-terrestrial pathways is proposed. This model provides basic knowledge for risk assessment and remediation of both extractable and nonextractable DDT-related contaminations.

In AD 1755 a strong earthquake-generated tsunami destroyed large parts of the southwest Iberian coastline. Data for the study of the sedimentological characteristics and palaeo-ecological effects of the backwash of this well-known AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami and possible preceding events on the continental shelf was obtained during RV METEOR cruise M152 in November 2018, since the hydrodynamics of tsunami backwash currents are as yet poorly understood. Furthermore, the suitability of the shelf as a reliable sedimentary archive for tsunami deposits was investigated.Along the Algarve coast, prominent AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami deposits have been detected onshore for quite some time. Cruise M152 conducted a geophysical survey on the corresponding shelf area to obtain bathymetry and sub-bottom profiles for the recognition of depositional basins. Subsequently, 19 sediment cores were retrieved from the most suitable depositional basins by vibracoring at water depths from 65 to 114 m. The cores were analysed in a multiproxy approach (granulometry, magnetic susceptibility, P-wave velocities, organic and inorganic geochemistry, micropalaeontology). Deposits of the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami were identified in most of the cores as a thin layer at ca. 20 cm depth.More surprisingly, a second event deposit dating to ca. 3700 years cal. BP was detected at core depths of 122 to 155 cm. It is even traceable in the sub-bottom profiles and consists of a distinctive ca. 30 cm thick well sorted medium-sized siliciclastic sand. Due to the thickness of the deposit an in-depth study of its characteristics was possible. It displays an erosive basal contact followed by a thin matrix-poor shell hash layer, a reversely graded fine sand layer and ultimately a massive, quite homogeneous medium sand resembling the Ta division of the Bouma sequence or the S1, S2 and S3 divisions of the Lowe sequence. The deposit is distinguishable from the silt to silty sand-dominated background sedimentation not only due to the textural and compositional features, but also due to contrasting geophysical and geochemical properties. Terrestrial provenance for (at least parts of) the sediment is revealed by biomarker analysis. Based on these characteristics, the deposit is interpreted as the result of a high density hyperpycnal flow from the coast towards the offshore caused by tsunami backwash. This event layer may be correlated to onshore observations of tsunami deposits along the southwest coast of Spain but has never been identified in Portugal where the onshore record of tsunami deposits only covers the last three millennia.The results of this multiproxy analysis strongly suggest the shallow offshore area below storm wave base to host reliable sedimentary archives for tsunami backwash deposits, which allow the discovery of as yet unknown events. Palaeotsunami research can benefit from the investigation of offshore archives, especially where onshore records are incomplete or sparse.

Research on offshore tsunami deposits is scarce and their depositional processes and preservation potential are virtually unexplored. Therefore, the RV Meteor cruise M152 mapped and sampled one coast-parallel and two coast-perpendicular transects at water depths from 65 to 114 m off the Algarve coast (Portugal). This coast was strongly affected by the well-known Lisbon earthquake and tsunami of November 1st, 1755 AD. Numerous onshore locations have been well documented and studied with historic damage reports and modern scientific investigations of the onshore tsunami deposits. However, very scarce information about the backwash, the water masses flowing back into the sea, exists and their imprint on the shelf is unexplored.In order to fill this gap, a total of 19 vibracores were recovered during the RV Meteor cruise M152. For tracing the sedimentary imprint of the AD 1755 tsunami and potential predecessors, a multi-proxy analysis was carried out (sedimentology, micropaleontology, inorganic and organic geochemistry, radiocarbon and OSL dating). Within the offshore Holocene stratigraphic record, at least two event layers of likely tsunami backwash origin were identified based on their significantly different properties compared to the background shelf sediments. The uppermost tsunami layer (at a depth of 16-25 cm in most cores) displays an erosional contact at the base with heterogeneous compositional changes; its bounding radiocarbon ages allow a correlation with the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami. Organic-geochemical markers, such as n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, steroids and fatty acids, show an increased input of terrestrial matter in this offshore AD 1755 event layer.A surprising discovery was another distinct high-energy deposit, i.e. a potential predecessor to the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami, at a core depth of about 122-155 cm, which was 14C-dated to approx. 3700 yrs cal BP. Due to its erosional base and coarse-grained composition (well-sorted medium sand), as well as the increased terrestrial influence (displayed by biomarkers), it can be assumed that this deposit originates from the backwash of a paleo-tsunami.This multi-proxy approach with sedimentological, micropaleontological, inorganic and organic-geochemical criteria, enabled us to (1) identify of backwash tsunami deposits; (2) establish a recurrence interval; and (3) estimate the hazard potential for the related coastal areas. Results of the M152 cruise demonstrate for the first time that the depositional basins on the Algarve shelf have the potential to reliably archive Holocene tsunami backwash deposits. The low-energy environment of the outer Algarve shelf sets prime conditions for the preservation of tsunami backwash deposits. Thus, these geoarchives offer the possibility to study the mechanisms and hydrodynamics of backwash currents, and to investigate tsunami strata that are not preserved elsewhere.

On the 1st November AD 1755, the tsunami, triggered by the 8.5 to 9 MW 1755 Lisbon earthquake, caused major inundations with sediment transport along the coastline of the Gulf of Cadiz. The study area, Conil de la Frontera (El Palmar de Vejer), located at the Gulf of Cadiz in southwestern Spain, was severely stuck by the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami. Witness of the destruction and power of the tsunami inundation are the walls of Torre de Castilnovo, close to the study area, which got heavily destroyed. El Palmar de Vejer was chosen as a study area due to the topographical setting, characterized by the flat alluvial flood plain. With these peculiarities, the area presents good preconditions as a sedimentological archive for potential deposits of the AD 1755 tsunami.First, geophysical methods were used to identify potential sandy layers attributed to the AD 1755 tsunami. Ground-penetrating radar (270 MHz antenna) was used to systematically scan the ground to a depth of ca. 3 m. The evaluation of these radargrams were taken into account for the selection of GeoSlicer drilling locations. Based on the samples obtained, granulometric analyses were carried out (1) to identify the potential sandy tsunami deposit; (2) to analyze the different sedimentological depositional environments before, during and after the tsunami; (3) to detect tsunami sublayers deriving from different waves within the wave-train of the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami, since 3 waves were reported.Furthermore, both inorganic and organic geochemical investigations were performed on the samples. With the help of inorganic geochemical analysis of major elements (Si, Sr, Ti, Ca, N, S) as well as elemental ratios can identify a distinction between marine and terrestrial depositional environments and accumulate more information about the deposit facies. By the use of organic geochemistry for the analysis of biomarker, several different natural compounds were detected (e.g., n-alkanes, n-aldehydes). Biomarker results suggest a distinct differentiation between the AD 1755 tsunami deposit and the surrounding background sediment layers above and below. The tsunami deposits contrasts to the post and pre-tsunami layers by different concentrations of biomarkers and deviant occurrence of specific compounds. The n-alkanes are manifesting the difference of marine and terrestrial sources of the different layers. Results of this study analyzing the Iberian sedimentary archives at Conil de la Frontera present strong evidence that a multi-proxy approach with the inclusion of geochemical applications can confidently detect tsunami deposits, distinguish them from surrounding background sediments and subsequently characterize the internal structure and composition of the tsunami deposit.

Japan, more precisely, the eastern coastal areas of Honshu, are one of the most affected areas of tsunamis in the world. Major events within the last century were three Sanriki-oki tsunamis (1896, 1933, 1968), and the most recent 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami, triggered by the 9.1 MW Tohoku-oki earthquake, which caused massive damage along the coastlines.The 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami overtopped the coastal defense walls with waves of 6-10 m height along the shores of the Aomori Prefecture in Northern Japan. The inundation reached up to 550 m inland, however, sandy tsunami deposits are limited to 250 – 350 m of the total inundation distance. At the field site of Misawa Harbor the well-preserved identifiable tsunami remains show up to 18 cm thick sand layers with sedimentary features, such as fining upward sequences, mud caps and rip-up clasts. The sandy deposits were enclosed in the soil of the coastal protection forest. Along with the sedimentary record of the tsunami, the use of organic geochemical indicators can provide a better understanding of the extend and processes, such as the deposition of tsunami layers and the backwash, of the inundation by the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami. The devastating damages caused by the interaction of tsunami and earthquake released pollutants associated as biological and anthropogenic markers. These released pollutants give the tsunami deposit an unique geochemical signature, that is distinguishable from the background sedimentation. Organic-geochemical results reveal a strong increase of anthropogenic (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides and chlorinated compounds) and a variation of biological markers (i.e. n-alkanes, fatty acids) in the 2011 tsunami deposit close to the fishery port. During the analysis of the samples, another variation of biomarker and anthropogenic marker were identified right below the soil layer of the current forest. This layer is as well distinguishable from the paleo-dune that marks the lowest sedimentological unit at the field site. This differentiation shows the likely impact of a historical Sanriki-oki tsunami (1896, 1933 or 1968). These organic geochemical results in combination with local eyewitness reports of the tsunamis and lead to the assumption that the sedimentary archive of the Aomori coastline contains and preserved at two or more tsunami events of the last century.The inclusion of organic geochemical markers to expand the characterizing and identifying proxies used in tsunami research are important to get a better understanding of the processes and deposition during tsunamis. Furthermore, this method can detect tsunami deposits beyond the visible recognizability of sedimentological identification of tsunami deposits and therefore can serve as a blue-print for historical and paleo-tsunami studies, as most of them only rely on visible sand deposits as marker for inundation distances from the beach. The high-resolution geochemical application can gain more information than standard techniques, like the identification of the “invisible” tsunami layer exceeding the limits of sandy deposits or the deposition in similar sedimentary textures, capturing a broader picture of the event.

As with other emerging economies, the rapid economic development of Indonesia has led to a migration towards the cities. The coastal megacity Jakarta is one of the largest urban agglomerations worldwide. The uncontrolled increase in urban population results in increased pressure on public infrastructure such as sewage treatment facilities leading to severe pollution of surface waters. In this study, a mass flux approach was used to assess the transport of organic pollutants by the largest city bound river of Jakarta, the Ciliwung, into the adjacent coastal ecosystem. Mass flux approaches are useful to track the origin and transport of wastewater-borne pollution, but are mostly neglected in favor of solely concentration-based evaluations. Constituents of municipal sewage made up around 70–80% of the fluxes of the 32 quantified water pollutants. Personal care product ingredients, especially the insect repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), exhibited the highest fluxes. Our first assessment revealed that the Ciliwung River transports around 5–17 tons year−1 of the quantified pollutants into the Java Sea. Such huge pollutant fluxes from municipal sources -a problem that is also relevant in other coastal megacities-might severely affect vulnerable coastal habitats.