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Jin Z, Wang X, Wang H, Ye Y, Zhang S. Organic carbon cycling and black shale deposition: an Earth System Science perspective. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad243. [PMID: 37900193 PMCID: PMC10612131 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Earth has a prolonged history characterized by substantial cycling of matter and energy between multiple spheres. The production of organic carbon can be traced back to as early as ∼4.0 Ga, but the frequency and scale of organic-rich shales have varied markedly over geological time. In this paper, we discuss the organic carbon cycle and the development of black shale from the perspective of Earth System Science. We propose that black shale depositions are the results of interactions among lithospheric evolution, orbital forcing, weathering, photosynthesis and degradation. Black shales can record Earth's oxygenation process, provide petroleum and metallic mineral resources and reveal information about the driver, direction and magnitude of climate change. Future research on black shales should be expanded to encompass a more extensive and more multidimensional perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Jin
- Institute of Energy, Peking University, Beijing100871, China
| | - Xiaomei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Petroleum Geochemistry, Central Laboratory of Geological Sciences, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing100083, China
| | - Huajian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Petroleum Geochemistry, Central Laboratory of Geological Sciences, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing100083, China
| | - Yuntao Ye
- Key Laboratory of Petroleum Geochemistry, Central Laboratory of Geological Sciences, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, Ministry of Education, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing100871, China
| | - Shuichang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Petroleum Geochemistry, Central Laboratory of Geological Sciences, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing100083, China
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Gu X, Brantley SL. How Particle Size Influences Oxidation of Ancient Organic Matter during Weathering of Black Shale. ACS Earth Space Chem 2022; 6:1443-1459. [PMID: 37197057 PMCID: PMC10166084 DOI: 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.1c00442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Weathering continuously converts rock to regolith at Earth's surface while regulating the atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and O2. Shale weathering is of particular interest because shale, the most abundant rock type exposed on continents, stores much of the ancient organic carbon (OCpetro) buried in rocks. Using geochemical and mineralogical analysis combined with neutron scattering and imaging, we investigated the weathering profile of OCpetro in saprock in a black shale (Marcellus Formation) in the Ridge and Valley Appalachians in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Consistent with the low erosion rate of the landscape, we discovered that Marcellus is completely depleted in carbonate, plagioclase, and pyrite in saprock below the soil layer. On the contrary, only ∼60% of OCpetro was depleted in saprock. By comparing the pore structure of saprock to bedrock and samples combusted to remove organic matter (OM), we confirmed that the large particles of OM are preferentially depleted, leaving elongated pores of tens to hundreds of micrometers in length, while the smaller particulates of OM (ranging from ∼5 to ∼200 nm) are largely preserved during weathering. The retarded weathering of small OM particles is attributed to their close association with mineral surfaces in the shale matrix. The texture of OM in shale is underappreciated as an important factor that controls porosity generation and the weathering rate of OCpetro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Gu
- Earth
and Environmental Systems Institute and Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Environmental
Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Susan L. Brantley
- Earth
and Environmental Systems Institute and Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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Abstract
Sponge fossils from the Cambrian black shales have attracted attention from both palaeontologists and geochemists for many years in terms of their high diversity, beautiful preservation and perplexing adaptation to inhospitable living environments. However, the body shape of these sponges, which contributes to deciphering adaptive evolution, has not been scrutinized. New complete specimens of the hexactinellid sponge Sanshapentella tentoriformis sp. nov. from the Qingjiang biota (black shale of the Cambrian Stage 3 Shuijingtuo Formation, ca 518 Ma) allow recognition of a unique dendriform body characterized by a columnar trunk with multiple conical high peaks and distinctive quadripod-shaped dermal spicules that frame each high peak. The body shape of this new sponge along with other early Cambrian hexactinellids, is classified into three morpho-groups that reflect different levels of adaptivity to the environment. The cylindrical and ovoid bodies generally adapted to a large spectrum of environments; however, the dendriform body of S. tentoriformis was restricted to the relatively deep-water, oxygen-deficient environment. From a hindsight view, the unique body shape represents a consequence of adaptation that helps maintain an effective use of oxygen and a low energy cost in hypoxic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environments, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, People's Republic of China
| | - Cui Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environments, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, People's Republic of China
| | - Luoyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences and Prospecting Techniques, Ministry of Education, and College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, People's Republic of China
| | - Joachim Reitner
- Department of Geobiology, Centre of Geosciences of the University of Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 3, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Xingliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environments, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, People's Republic of China,State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
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Al-Full ZZ, Khattab MR. Uranium isotopic ratio of black shale and its role in detection of oxic-anoxic conditions of uranium depositions. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng 2022; 57:376-385. [PMID: 35475393 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2022.2068886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The black shale is considered one of the most important rock units in the lower part of Um Bogma Formation, where it contains the uranium, heavy metals and rare earth elements mineralization. The black shale samples were analyzed radiochemically by using alpha spectrometry technique. Most of uranium in the studied samples is authigenic and the Th/U ratio confirms the deposition of uranium in reducing environment. The activity ratios of the studied black shale samples were characterized by 234U/238U > 1 and 230Th/234U < 1, which showed relatively recent precipitation of uranium from water in reducing conditions. 234U/235U and 238U/235U activity ratio was relatively deviated from equilibrium due to the changes in the oxidation-reduction conditions. The disequilibrium of 228Th/232Th can be due to the co-precipitation of 228Ra and the migration of 228Th from the black shale into the percolating water. So, the water was percolated through the paleochannels and caves instead of the rocks causing uranium mobilization and the fractionation of uranium, forming the oxidation-reduction interface in the periods from <6 × 104 to >3 × 105 year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zainab Z Al-Full
- Department of Physics, Taibah University, Almadinah Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud R Khattab
- Geochemical Exploration Department, Nuclear Materials Authority (NMA), Cairo, Egypt
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Daszczyńska A, Krucoń T, Stasiuk R, Koblowska M, Matlakowska R. Lanthanide-Dependent Methanol Metabolism of a Proteobacteria-Dominated Community in a Light Lanthanide-Rich Deep Environment. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073947. [PMID: 35409305 PMCID: PMC8999231 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the occurrence and diversity of proteobacterial XoxF-type methanol dehydrogenases (MDHs) in the microbial community that inhabits a fossil organic matter- and sedimentary lanthanide (Ln3+)-rich underground mine environment using a metagenomic and metaproteomic approach. A total of 8 XoxF-encoding genes (XoxF-EGs) and 14 protein sequences matching XoxF were identified. XoxF-type MDHs were produced by Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria represented by the four orders Methylococcales, Nitrosomonadales, Rhizobiales, and Xanthomonadales. The highest number of XoxF-EG- and XoxF-matching protein sequences were affiliated with Nitrosomonadales and Rhizobiales, respectively. Among the identified XoxF-EGs, two belonged to the XoxF1 clade, five to the XoxF4 clade, and one to the XoxF5 clade, while seven of the identified XoxF proteins belonged to the XoxF1 clade, four to the XoxF4 clade, and three to the XoxF5 clade. Moreover, the accumulation of light lanthanides and the presence of methanol in the microbial mat were confirmed. This study is the first to show the occurrence of XoxF in the metagenome and metaproteome of a deep microbial community colonizing a fossil organic matter- and light lanthanide-rich sedimentary environment. The presented results broaden our knowledge of the ecology of XoxF-producing bacteria as well as of the distribution and diversity of these enzymes in the natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Daszczyńska
- Department of Geomicrobiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (A.D.); (R.S.)
| | - Tomasz Krucoń
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Robert Stasiuk
- Department of Geomicrobiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (A.D.); (R.S.)
| | - Marta Koblowska
- Laboratory of Systems Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland;
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Renata Matlakowska
- Department of Geomicrobiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (A.D.); (R.S.)
- Correspondence:
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Liao X, Zhang W, Chen J, Wang Q, Wu X, Ling S, Guo D. Deterioration and Oxidation Characteristics of Black Shale under Immersion and Its Impact on the Strength of Concrete. Materials (Basel) 2020; 13:E2515. [PMID: 32486460 DOI: 10.3390/ma13112515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Black shale, which usually contains pyrite, is easily oxidized and generates acid discharge. This acidic environment is not favorable for concrete in engineering applications and is likely to affect the durability of engineering structures. This study investigated the effect of acid discharge from the weathering of black shale on the strength of concrete under partially immersed conditions. Black shale concrete immersion tests were conducted at different immersion depths to evaluate the oxidation conduction of black shale. Water chemistry and oxidation products were monitored during and after the immersion tests. The quality and strength of the black shale and concrete specimens were obtained before and after the immersion by testing the ultrasonic wave velocity and uniaxial compressive strength. The results indicated that a lower immersion depth of black shale reveals a higher degree of oxidation, and the capillary zone in black shale is critical for black shale oxidation in terms of mass transfer. The ultrasonic velocity of the concrete showed different change patterns in the immersed and non-immersed zones. Precipitation and additional hydration enhanced the quality and entirety of the concrete (increased ultrasonic velocity) at the non-immersed or partially-immersed zones, while the dissolution of concrete was dominant in the immersed zone (decreased ultrasonic velocity) and induced a reduction of concrete quality. The compressive strength of the concrete was enhanced after immersion. The concrete strength slightly increased by 5-15%. This phenomenon is attributed to the filling of the voids by the precipitations of minerals, such as goethite and anhydrite.
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Liu YZ, Xiao TF, Xiong Y, Ning ZP, Shuang Y, Li H, Ma L, Chen HY. [Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils and Crops from an Area with a High Geochemical Background of Cadmium, Southwestern China]. Huan Jing Ke Xue 2019; 40:2877-2884. [PMID: 31854682 DOI: 10.13227/j.hjkx.201811108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In order to investigate the accumulation and transfer of heavy metals in agricultural soils and crops in an area with a high geochemical background of cadmium, soil and crop samples from a black shale outcropped area in Chongqing were collected and analyzed, and the results were then compared with those from other representative black shale outcropped areas. The results showed that some soil samples had a very low pH, and the metals Cd, Cr, Ni, and Zn were enriched. Cadmium concentrations in soil samples exceeded the safety limit, followed by Cr and Ni. Overall, 91.3% of soil samples were heavily to extremely polluted by Cd. The residual fractions accounted for more than 80% of the total metals, except for Cd and Pb. The weak acid soluble fraction of Cd accounted for 27.0%±6.4% of the total Cd, followed by Zn and Ni. The results demonstrate that weathering of black shales can result in elevated heavy metals in soils, and Cd is the primary contaminant in local soils. The high bioavailability of Cd and the high acidity of soils induced the enrichment of Cd in local crops. Cadmium has a higher transfer factor than other metals, and the crops were seriously polluted by Cd, particularly the leaf vegetables, which presented a high concentration of 11.5 mg·kg-1 based on dry weight, and thus, these vegetables are not suitable for cultivating as food stuff. In addition, the risks from Cr should be of concern as well. Therefore, it is recommended that countermeasures be carried out to address the pollution situation, for example, by classifying the pollution levels of agricultural soils and adjusting the planting structures accordingly to reduce the health risks to local inhabitants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Zhang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Tang-Fu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yan Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- College of Biology and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang 550005, China
| | - Zeng-Ping Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Yan Shuang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Exogenic Mineralization and Mine Environment, Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Hang Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Exogenic Mineralization and Mine Environment, Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Liang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hai-Yan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Włodarczyk A, Lirski M, Fogtman A, Koblowska M, Bidziński G, Matlakowska R. The Oxidative Metabolism of Fossil Hydrocarbons and Sulfide Minerals by the Lithobiontic Microbial Community Inhabiting Deep Subterrestrial Kupferschiefer Black Shale. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:972. [PMID: 29867875 PMCID: PMC5962744 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Black shales are one of the largest reservoirs of fossil organic carbon and inorganic reduced sulfur on Earth. It is assumed that microorganisms play an important role in the transformations of these sedimentary rocks and contribute to the return of organic carbon and inorganic sulfur to the global geochemical cycles. An outcrop of deep subterrestrial ~256-million-year-old Kupferschiefer black shale was studied to define the metabolic processes of the deep biosphere important in transformations of organic carbon and inorganic reduced sulfur compounds. This outcrop was created during mining activity 12 years ago and since then it has been exposed to the activity of oxygen and microorganisms. The microbial processes were described based on metagenome and metaproteome studies as well as on the geochemistry of the rock. The microorganisms inhabiting the subterrestrial black shale were dominated by bacterial genera such as Pseudomonas, Limnobacter, Yonghaparkia, Thiobacillus, Bradyrhizobium, and Sulfuricaulis. This study on black shale was the first to detect archaea and fungi, represented by Nitrososphaera and Aspergillus genera, respectively. The enzymatic oxidation of fossil aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons was mediated mostly by chemoorganotrophic bacteria, but also by archaea and fungi. The dissimilative enzymatic oxidation of primary reduced sulfur compounds was performed by chemolithotrophic bacteria. The geochemical consequences of microbial activity were the oxidation and dehydrogenation of kerogen, as well as oxidation of sulfide minerals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Włodarczyk
- Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Analysis, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Lirski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Fogtman
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Koblowska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.,Laboratory of Systems Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Renata Matlakowska
- Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Analysis, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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OHKOUCHI N, KURODA J, TAIRA A. The origin of Cretaceous black shales: a change in the surface ocean ecosystem and its triggers. Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci 2015; 91:273-91. [PMID: 26194853 PMCID: PMC4631894 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.91.273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Black shale is dark-colored, organic-rich sediment, and there have been many episodes of black shale deposition over the history of the Earth. Black shales are source rocks for petroleum and natural gas, and thus are both geologically and economically important. Here, we review our recent progress in understanding of the surface ocean ecosystem during periods of carbonaceous sediment deposition, and the factors triggering black shale deposition. The stable nitrogen isotopic composition of geoporphyrins (geological derivatives of chlorophylls) strongly suggests that N2-fixation was a major process for nourishing the photoautotrophs. A symbiotic association between diatoms and cyanobacteria may have been a major primary producer during episodes of black shale deposition. The timing of black shale formation in the Cretaceous is strongly correlated with the emplacement of large igneous provinces such as the Ontong Java Plateau, suggesting that black shale deposition was ultimately induced by massive volcanic events. However, the process that connects these events remains to be solved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naohiko OHKOUCHI
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Junichiro KURODA
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Asahiko TAIRA
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan
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