Latest Permian to the Middle Triassic mixed siliciclastic-carbonate shelf deposits of the northern Gondwana margin have been studied in four sections (Nammal, Chhidru, Chitta-Landu, and Narmia) in the Salt Range and Surghar Range of Pakistan. Sedimentological and palynofacies patterns combined with a high resolution ammonoid based age control have been used to assess environmental changes such as sea-level change, distance from the shore, and oxygenation conditions of the sections in the aftermath of the end-Permian mass extinction.The base and the top of the Early Triassic are marked by second order sequence boundaries (SRT1, SRT8). Within the Early Triassic two third order sequence boundaries could be delineated by means of palynofacies analysis and sedimentology, one near the Dienerian-Smithian (SRT2) and the second one near the Smithian-Spathian boundary (SRT5). The extinction event at the Smithian-Spathian boundary seems to be closely associated to the latter globally recorded sea-level low stand. Five additional sequences of undetermined order (SRT3, SRT 4, SRT5/1, SRT6, and SRT7) are reflected in the sedimentological record of the studied sections.The observed changes in the composition of the particulate organic matter (POM) indicate a general shallowing upward trend, which is modulated by smaller transgressive-regressive cycles supporting the sedimentologically defined sequences. The POM is mostly dominated by terrestrial phytoclasts and sporomorphs. The strongest marine signal is reflected by increased abundance of amorphous organic matter (AOM) in the lower part of the Ceratite Marls at Nammal (late Dienerian) and Chhidru (earliest Smithian) and the Lower Ceratite Limestone at Chitta-Landu (late Dienerian). AOM of marine origin is characteristic for deeper, distal basinal settings and is preferentially preserved under dysoxic and anoxic conditions, indicating reduced oxygen conditions during these intervals. Up-section transgressive events are reflected by increased numbers of acritarchs, reaching up to 50% of the POM. Well oxygenated conditions and low total organic carbon contents (TOC) continue up to the top of the Early Triassic (Mianwali Formation). The most pronounced terrestrial influx is expressed in the Middle Triassic.Organic carbon isotope data parallel the carbonate carbon isotope records from the Tethyan realm; therefore, they reflect real global changes in the carbon cycle independent of the OM composition. The biomarker study of the apolar hydrocarbons of three samples from the Nammal section indicates an enhanced bacterial productivity, especially in the Smithian and Spathian, reflected in high relative abundances of hopanes. POM, TOC data and redox sensitive biomarkers together with high resolution biostratigraphy demonstrate that well-oxygenated environmental conditions prevailed in the Early Triassic with the exception of the Dienerian to earliest Smithian interval. The POM assemblages of Late Permian to late Griesbachian age indicate well oxygenated conditions during this t...

This section contains information on material, data tables, and additional figures and references. 1. Materials The Permian-Triassic succession at Amb has been studied for changes in the δ 13 C composition of bulk organic material, bulk cuticles, and wood. The Amb section is situated in the Amb valley transecting the Permian-Triassic sedimentary succession in the Salt Range. During the Late Permian and Early Triassic times the Salt Range area was part of the southern Tethys shelf of the Indian subcontinent. Today, the Amb section is located ca. 200 km S of Islamabad and about 5 km S of the Sakesar mountain (N 32°29'48.1"; E 071°56'20.6"). The Permian-Triassic Amb section in the Salt Range measures ca. 14 m. The studied interval encompasses the uppermost part of the Chhidru Formation and the lowermost part of the Mianwali Formation. The uppermost part of the Chhidru Formation was informally named "white sandstone unit" by Kummel and Teichert (1970). Due to its deposition under shallow subtidal to intertidal environment, thickness and completeness of the unit varies throughout the Salt Range (Mertmann, 2003). At Amb the white sandstone unit consists of a 9 m thick succession of alternating white to grey medium grained sandstone and dark grey siltstone. The age of the Chhidru Formation is still debated (Shen et al., 2006). The conodont species Clarkina longicuspidata occurs in the upper Wuchiapingan and lowest Changsingian (Wardlaw and Mei, 1999) in the Salt Range and Kishor Range area. Its occurrence has been reported in the upper Wargal Formation and lower half of the Chhidru Formation (Wardlaw and Mei, 1999; Shen et al., 2006). Therefore it has been suggested that the formational boundary between the Wargal Formation and the Chhidru Formation approximates the Wuchiapingian/Changhsingian boundary (Mei and Henderson, 2002). Alternatively, its last occurrence in the lower half of the Chhidru Formation at Zaluch has been suggested as approximation for the Wuchiapingian/Changhsingian boundary. The overlying part of the Chhidru Formation (including the white sandstone unit) is regarded as Changhsingian. Age control within the Changhsingian is limited. Correlation of the bulk organic carbon isotopes with other Permian-Triassic carbon isotope record suggests a late Changhsingian age for the white sandstone unit (see section 2). The contact between the Chhidru Formation and the overlying Mianwali Formation is an erosional uncomformity that was interpreted to represent a sequence boundary (Mertmann et al., 2003; Hermann et al., 2011). (See section 2 for information on completeness of the record). The Mianwali Formation is traditionally subdivided into the Kathwai Member, the Mittiwali Member and the Narmia Member. For this study only the basal part of the Mianwali Formation has been investigated, including the Kathwai Member, and the two basal lithological units of the Mittiwali Member: the Lower Ceratite Limestone, and the lowermost part of the Ceratite Marls (e.g. refs Kummel and Teicher, 1970; Guex, 1978; Hermann et al....

Based on newly collected material from the uppermost Smithian and lower to middle Spathian (Olenekian, Lower Triassic) of the Salt Range and Surghar Range (Pakistan), 15 bivalve species belonging to 11 genera are described, including two new genera, Eobuchia and Dimorphoconcha, and one new species, Palaeoneilo? fortistriata. Eobuchia gen. nov. is placed in a new subfamily, the Eobuchiinae, which differs from the Buchiinae in having an almost planar and only moderately inclined or offset right anterior auricle. Inclination of the right anterior auricle is proposed as a synapomorphy of the revised suborder Monotidina, which includes the Buchiidae, Monotidae, Oxytomidae and, tentatively, the Dolponellidae. The Pseudomonotidae, Chaenocardiidae and Claraiidae are discussed as candidate ancestors of the Monotidina. Dimorphoconcha gen. nov., provisionally placed in the Limidae, is a morphologically unusual genus characterized by a globose shell centre and a strongly plicate fringe. Permophorus costatus, which was previously known exclusively from Permian strata, is reported from the Spathian of the Surghar Range. This record extends the range of P. costatus for at least 8 Myr and makes it the first reported Lazarus species, with an outage of more than 2 Myr after the end-Permian mass extinction. Ten of 15 species recognized in this study have not been reported from other regions, which may indicate increasing provincialism towards the end of the Early Triassic, or, alternatively, reflect the still insufficient knowledge of benthic faunas from the epoch that followed the greatest crisis in the history of life.

This study investigated the coagulation potential of Moringa oleifera seed powder (SP) or its seed aqueous extract (SAE) on pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and heavy metals of sewage water after 1, 3 and 6 h contact time. After optimizing, 2 g L -1 moringa SP, 40 mL L -1 SAE and 20 mg L -1 of alum alone or in combination were evaluated. Moringa SP was more effective than SAE and its combination to decrease EC and maintenance of pH of treated or untreated sewage water. Moringa SAE was more effective than SP or their combination to decrease Lead (Pb) and Chromium (Cr) load from sewage water. Naturally occurring amino acids in moringa seeds might increased the metal binding and decreased heavy metals load with maximum desorption on SP. Nonetheless, use of Moringa oleifera SP or its SAE can be inexpensive and alternative coagulant of sewage water treatment.

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