Geological Survey of Sweden

About: Geological Survey of Sweden is a government organization based out in Uppsala, Sweden. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Metamorphism & Zircon. The organization has 316 authors who have published 671 publications receiving 18333 citations. The organization is also known as: Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning.

3D resistivity models from inversion of Controlled Source- and Radio-Magnetotelluric (CSRMT) data at a quick-clay site in southwestern Sweden.

Abstract: Summary We have collected 3D tensor Controlled Source- and Radio Magnetotelluric data at a quick-clay site in southwestern Sweden with the aim to image the geological structures that have given rise to retrogressive landslides in the area. The 3D resistivity models show layering within the glacial and post-glacial sediments including marine clay, quick-clay and coarser grain sands. Because of the smoothing regularization used in the inversion, the lateral and depth extents of the quick-clays cannot be determined just by using the resistivity model. The depth to the top of the resistive crystalline bedrock is to some extent uncertain. However, the geometry of the sediments and bedrock seen in the 3D resistivity model correlates reasonably well with the results from the high resolution reflection seismic data collected along the same lines in the site. The results show that the bedrock deepens towards the river in the northern part of the site.

Persistent organic pollutants in wood fiber contaminated sediments from the Baltic Sea

Abstract: Many coastal areas in the Baltic Sea are contaminated with wood fiber and pollutants from pulp and paper industries. These anthropogenic, organic-rich, sediments (fiberbanks) have not been characterized and knowledge about their role as secondary sources for dispersal of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is limited. Hence, the aim of this study was to elucidate the fate of POPs and the relationships between sorption (KD and KTOC), sediment type, and compound hydrophobicity (KOW) in fiber-contaminated sediments. Paired sediment and pore water samples (n = 24 sites) from three fiber-contaminated areas, located in the Angermanalven river estuary in northern Sweden, were analyzed for POPs (viz. PCBs, DDT, and HCB) in sediment types representing different fiber content (i.e., fiberbanks, fiber-rich sediments, and natural less fiber impacted sediments). The freely dissolved concentration in sediment pore water was determined by sediment-polyoxymethylene (POM) partitioning. Instrumental analysis was performed using gas chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS). Higher levels of total organic carbon (TOC) were found in the fiberbank sediment (range 8.6–37%) than in fiber-rich sediment (range 2.0–6.5%) and more natural sediment (range 2.0–2.9%). The sediment concentrations of POPs (dry weight basis) were also found to be significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in fiberbanks compared to the other sediment types. The fraction of DDD (48–66% of Σ6DDX) was larger in fiberbanks than in the other sediment types, likely due to anoxic conditions favoring reductive dechlorination of DDT. When sediment levels were normalized to TOC, HCB displayed similar levels across sediment type, suggesting a more diffuse source pattern than for PCB and DDT. Although significantly higher sorption (KD) of POPs was observed in fiberbanks, pore water levels were still elevated due to high bulk concentrations. This study shows that fiberbanks are coastal hot spots for POPs in the Baltic Sea and that the levels are of ecotoxicological concern. Although the POPs are more strongly sorbed (KD) to this type of organic rich sediment, the high pore water concentrations in fiberbanks compared to the other sediment types investigated show that the risk of contaminant dispersal via pore water is elevated for fiberbanks.