ALBERT

Description: Saharan dust incursions and particulates emitted from human activities degrade air quality throughout West Africa, especially in the rapidly expanding urban centers in the region. Particulate matter (PM) that can be inhaled is strongly associated with increased incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer. Air samples collected in the capital of a Saharan-Sahelian country (Bamako, Mali) between September 2012 - July 2013 were found to contain inhalable PM concentrations that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) PM2.5 and PM10 24-h limits 58 - 98% of days and European Union (EU) PM10 24-h limit 98% of days. Mean concentrations were 1.2-to-4.5 fold greater than existing limits. Inhalable PM was enriched in transition metals, known to produce reactive oxygen species and initiate the inflammatory reaction, and other potentially bioactive and biotoxic metals/metalloids. Eroded mineral dust composed the bulk of inhalable PM, whereas most enriched metals/metalloids were likely emitted from oil combustion, biomass burning, refuse incineration, vehicle traffic, and mining activities. Human exposure to inhalable PM and associated metals/metalloids over 24-h was estimated. The findings indicate that inhalable PM in the Sahara-Sahel region may present a threat to human health, especially in urban areas with greater inhalable PM and transition metal exposure.

Description: We have studied the sediment geochemistry and benthic foraminiferal fauna in a piston core from the northwest Arabian Sea (covering the last 150,000 years), and compared the results with the stable isotopic record from both benthic (Uvigerina peregrina) and planktonic (Globigerinoides sacculifer) foraminifera. The delta18O record of the planktonic foraminiferal species shows excursions towards heavier delta18O values when compared to the benthic record and the SPECMAP stack, particularly in stage 3, between approximately 30 and 45-50 kyr. We call this the 'stage 3 event'. Species diversity and relative abundance data on benthic foraminifera reveal that some species, e.g. Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, Oridorsalis umbonatus, Pullenia bulloides, Pyrgo spp., and the uvigerinids increased in relative abundance during glacial stages 2 and 4 and during the stage 3 event, whereas other (e.g., Astrononion novozealandicum, Cibicidoides bradyi, Eggerella bradyi, Gyroidina altiformis, Hoeglundina elegans, Pullenia subcarinata, and Sigmoilina edwardsii) decreased. Using correspondence analysis we determined that approximately 50% of the total sample variation may be accounted for by three first factors which all are interpreted as primarily related to surface water productivity and the quality of the organic matter that reaches the seafloor. The relative abundance of some species appears to vary on a precessional cycle, perhaps responding to monsoon-driven upwelling and associated increased food supply, whilst the abundances of other species are related to the 100 kyr ice volume cycle, and may be responding to changes in intermediate and deep water chemistry. Geochemical paleoproductivity tracers, such as the Ba content of the sediment, have a very similar distribution to specific foraminiferal factors in both time and frequency domains. Certain planktonic foraminifera, (e.g., Globigerina bulloides), also display obvious maxima in the stage 3 event. The stage 3 event occurs at a time of reduced rate of amplitude change in both solar radiation and monsoon pressure index. We conclude, that there was a period 15 to 20 kyr duration during stage 3 with cooler-than-normal surface waters, enhanced productivity and rapid settling of biogenic matter.

Description: The relationship between the distribution of benthic foraminifera and sediment type and depositional environment in the Arabian Sea is discussed. The benthic foraminiferal fauna were sampled in nineteen Recent surface sediment samples, and geochemical variables of the sediment of the same samples were measured. The water depths for the box core samples varies from 440 to 4040 m. A total of 103 species and six species-complexes were identified. The geochemical properties were found to correspond well to the sediment type and depositional environment and six different sediment/depositional environment types could be distinguished. Analysis of the benthic foraminiferal fauna reveals specific faunal assemblages that are closely related to these sediment/depositional environment types.