Original scientific paper
Trace element distribution in surface sediments of Lake Vrana and topsoil of Cres island, Croatia
S. Miko
S. Mesić
E. Prohić
Z. Peh
Abstract
This paper presents a study of major and trace element distribution and an evaluation of their environmental geochemical aspects in the surface sediments of Vrana Lake and the topsoil within its catchment area. The concentrations of 22 elements were determined in 30 lake sediment samples and 60 topsoil samples covering the lake catchment area and the whole island of Cres. The element to Al ratios fall into three main groups: the group of elements that show no difference in ratios in soils and lake sediments: Ni, Co, Mn, Th, Zn, Ba, Ti, K, V, Na, and H; elements that are enriched in the sediments: Ca, Sr, Cd, Pb, Ba and Mg; and elements that are depleted in the lake sediments: Cu, P, Fe, Cr, and La. Long-range air pollution is probably the main reason why the content of metals, especially lead, is increased in the lake sediments, although a local source, from road transport, as indicated by soil data from the catchment area, could also be an important source of Pb. Some pollutants in the soils of the catchment area, such as Cu and Hg from agro-chemical sources, were not determined in elevated concentrations in the lake sediments. Comparison of element/Al indexes from this study with the other studies of surface materials in the region show mutually similar sources, with loess and flysch as two geochemical end-members.
Keywords
trace element distribution; lake sediments; soils; lead; normalization; atmospheric deposition
Hrčak ID:
11458
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2003.
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