Applying biomarkers as paleoenvironmental indicators to reveal the organic matter enrichment of shale during deep energy exploration: a review.

Analysis of biomarkers in geological materials such as shales is very crucial because they can provide useful information on the depositional conditions and environments, organic matter input, thermal maturity as well as the geological age of shales in some cases. The paleoenvironment, and its impact on organic matter enrichment of the shales, plays a vital role in the exploration and development of the resource. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction can be conducted using elemental, isotopic, maceral, and biomarker proxies.

Evaluation of the Bioavailability and Translocation of Selected Heavy Metals by and L for a South African Power Utility Coal Fly Ash.

This study evaluated the physicochemical and mineralogical properties, mobile chemical species bioavailability and translocation in and L. plants of a South African coal-fired power utility. Coal-fly-ash (CFA) disposal is associated with various environmental and health risks, including air, soil, surface, and groundwater pollution due to the leaching of toxic heavy metals; these ends up in food webs affecting human health, while repeated inhalation causes bronchitis, silicosis, hair loss, and lung cancer.