Abstract
A geochemical study was carried out in sediment cores along the Galician Continental Shelf and at the mouth of the Vigo and Pontevedra Rias. Multielemental analysis was performed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. Sedimentological and geochemical characterisation (lithogenic, biogenic and anthropogenic elements) indicates different supplies for the fine-grained, deposited sediments. No significant heavy metal enrichment could be detected in coastal sediments despite the current sediment contamination in adjacent Rias. Variations in the accumulation rates suggest different factors controlling the sedimentation processes including sediment sources and geomorphology.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the scientific teams responsible for sampling operations developed during the EU program OMEX II-II (MAST3-CT97-0076). C. Corredeira thanks the Portuguese Science Foundation for the grant SFRH/BD/14144/2003.
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Corredeira, C., Araújo, M.F., Gouveia, A. et al. Sediments of Galician Continental Shelf: elemental composition and accumulation rates. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 281, 265–268 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0106-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0106-7