Organic geochemistry and brine composition in Great Salt, Mono, and Walker Lakes

Book · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5764244

Domagalski, J L; Orem, W H; Eugster, H P

Samples of recent sediments, representing up to 1,000 years of accumulation, were collected from three closed basin lakes to assess the effects of brine composition on the accumulation of effects of brine composition on the accumulation of total organic carbon, the concentration of dissolved organic carbon, humic acid structure and diagenesis, and trace metal complexation. The Great Salt Lake water column is a stratified Na-Mg-Cl-SO{sub 4} brine with low alkalinity. Algal debris is entrained in the high density (1.132-1.190 g/ml) bottom brines, and in this region maximum organic matter decomposition occurs by anaerobic processes, with sulfate ion as the terminal electron acceptor. Organic matter, below 5 cm of the sediment-water interface, degrades at a very slow rate in spite of very high pore-fluid sulfate levels. Mono Lake is an alkaline (Na-CO{sub 3}-Cl-SO{sub 4}) system. The water column is stratified, but the bottom brines are of lower density relative to the Great Salt Lake, and sedimentation of algal debris is rapid. Walker Lake is also an alkaline system. The water column is not stratified, and decomposition of organic matter occurs by aerobic processes at the sediment-water interface and by anaerobic processes below. Total organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in Walker Lake sediments vary with location and depth due to changes in input and pore-fluid sulfate concentrations. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of humic substances and dissolved organic carbon provide information on the source of the recent sedimentary organic carbon, its relative state of decomposition, and its chemical structure. 44 refs., 10 figs., 6 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 5764244
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COLORADO
WATER POLLUTION
NEVADA
UTAH
ALGAE
CHLORIDES
DIAGENESIS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GEOCHEMISTRY
HUMIC ACIDS
LAKES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
METALS
MONITORING
NMR SPECTRA
ORGANIC MATTER
SEDIMENT-WATER INTERFACES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SULFATES
WATER CHEMISTRY
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION IX
FEDERAL REGION VIII
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERFACES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SPECTRA
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)