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The distribution and variation of elements in sediments off the Huanghe (Yellow) River mouth

  • Geology
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Abstract

Surface sediment samples collected off the Huanghe (Yellow) River mouth during the period 2007–2009 were analyzed for major and trace element concentrations. Concentrations of 16 elements were measured using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Results demonstrate that sediment grain size is the dominant factor controlling the spatial variations of elemental concentrations. Correlation and cluster analyses allowed classification of the study area into four geochemical regions: Regions I and III are characterized by high concentrations of Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, K2O, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn, and contain fine-grained sediments with mean grain size (M z)<22 μm; and; Regions II and IV contain mostly coarse-grained sediments, and are characterized by high concentrations of SiO2, Na2O, and Zr. The sediment entering the sea from the Huanghe River and its tributaries is enriched in Ca. Thus, the Ca/Al ratio was used as an indicator of the proportion of sediments in the study area that originated from the Huanghe River. Ca/Al ratios decrease from Regions I and II (located in the nearshore zone of the Huanghe River delta) to Regions III and IV (distributed in the offshore zone of the northern Huanghe River delta, southern and southeastern Laizhou Bay area).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Marine Sedimentology & Environmental Geology, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, 266061, China

    Shuqing Qiao  (乔淑卿), Xuefa Shi  (石学法), Jingjing Gao  (高晶晶), Yanguang Liu  (刘焱光), Gang Yang  (杨刚), Aimei Zhu  (朱爱美) & Kunshan Wang  (王昆山)

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  1. Shuqing Qiao  (乔淑卿)
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  2. Xuefa Shi  (石学法)
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  3. Jingjing Gao  (高晶晶)
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  4. Yanguang Liu  (刘焱光)
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  5. Gang Yang  (杨刚)
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  6. Aimei Zhu  (朱爱美)
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  7. Kunshan Wang  (王昆山)
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Correspondence to Xuefa Shi  (石学法).

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation for Young Scientists of China (No. 40806026), the National Special Research Fund for the Non-Profit Sector (No. 200805063, 201205001), the 908 Project of the State Oceanic Administration, China (No. 908-02-02-05), and the Basic Scientific Research Operations of the First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration (Nos. GY02-2008T28, GY02-2009G22)

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Qiao, S., Shi, X., Gao, J. et al. The distribution and variation of elements in sediments off the Huanghe (Yellow) River mouth. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 31, 876–885 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-013-2126-y

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