BACKGROUND OF U AND Th IN SEDIMENTS OF BEDROCK RIVERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32435/envsmoke/xibesymp.3Keywords:
Bedrock rivers, Background estimation, Actinoids, GeochemistryAbstract
The Miño River is a good example of bedrock rivers, where sediment geochemistry is scarcely studied. Its urban reach when passing through the city of Ourense gathers some characteristics that provide interest to its sediments, like scarcity of fine sediments accumulation and the impact of several human activities. Sediments trapped by potholes and other rock cavities were considered. In order to evaluate society-nature interactions through sediment composition it is critical to determine the compositional background (in absence of human alterations), particularly when working with trace elements. This work presents an exploratory assay to determine background in sediments from bedrock rivers by using two uncommon elements, uranium (U) and thorium (Th). To determine their background different statistical techniques were applied in order to set the background composition value and calculate possible enrichments. Background was calculated by simple least squares lineal regression by using Al as independent variable (reference element) resulting in 8.7 mgU kg-1 and 5.6 mgTh kg-1. Enrichments were found in some particular samples and can be attributed to intrinsic microenvironment complexities inside rock cavities.
Downloads
References
ÁLVAREZ-VÁZQUEZ, M.Á.; DE UÑA-ÁLVAREZ, E. (2021). An exploratory study to test sediments trapped by potholes in Bedrock Rivers as environmental indicators (NW Iberian Massif). Cuaternario y Geomorfología, 35(1-2), 59-77. https://doi.org/10.17735/cyg.v35i1-2.89054
ÁLVAREZ-VÁZQUEZ, M.Á.; ÁLVAREZ-IGLESIAS, P.; DE UÑA-ÁLVAREZ, E.; QUINTANA, B.; CAETANO, M.; PREGO, R. (2020). Industrial supply of trace elements during the “Anthropocene”: A record in estuarine sediments from the Ria of Ferrol (NW Iberian Peninsula). Marine Chemistry, 223, 103825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2020.103825
ADRIÁN RODRÍGUEZ, M. C., LÓPEZ GONZÁLEZ, M.; DE UÑA ÁLVAREZ, E. Geoheritage and cultural Heritage. The voice of sound Resonances in Waterfalls. (Cantara da Moura, NW Spain). En: INTERNATIONAL PROGEO SYMPOSIUM, 10th, 2021, Segovia. Building connections for global Geoconservation. Madrid: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, 2021. p. 259-260.
ÁLVAREZ-VÁZQUEZ, M.Á.; HOŠEK, M.; ELZNICOVÁ, J.; PACINA, J.; HRON, K.; FAČEVICOVÁ, K.; TALSKÁ, R.; BÁBEK, O.; GRYGAR, T.M. (2020). Separation of geochemical signals in fluvial sediments: New approaches to grain-size control and anthropogenic contamination. Applied Geochemistry, 123, 104791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2020.104791
ÁLVAREZ-VÁZQUEZ, M.Á.; DE UÑA-ÁLVAREZ, E. (2017a). Inventory and assessment of fluvial potholes to promote geoheritage sustainability (Miño River, NW Spain). Geoheritage, 9(4), 549-560. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-016-0213-0
ÁLVAREZ-VÁZQUEZ, M.Á.; DE UÑA-ÁLVAREZ, E. (2017b). Growth of sculpted forms in bedrock channels (Miño River, northwest Spain). Current Science, 996-1002. https://doi.org/10.18520/cs/v112/i05/996-1002
ÁLVAREZ-VÁZQUEZ, M.Á.; CAETANO, M.; ÁLVAREZ-IGLESIAS, P.; PEDROSA-GARCÍA, M.C.; CALVO, S.; DE UÑA-ÁLVAREZ, E.; QUINTANA, B.; VALE, C.; PREGO, R. (2017). Natural and Anthropocene fluxes of trace elements in estuarine sediments of Galician Rias. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 198, 329-342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.08.022
ARAUJO NESPERAIRA, P.A.; CID FERNÁNDEZ, J.A.; DELGADO OUTEIRIÑO, I.; GÜEZMES BARRIUSO, A.L. (2021) Inventario y caracterización del yacimiento termal de Ourense ciudad (Galicia, España). Xeoaquis. Accessed 11-15-2021 from: http://www.xeoaquis.com/admin/docs/070501%20YACIMIENTO%20GEOTERMICO%20OURENSE-CIUDAD.pdf
BARRERA MORATE, J.L., GONZÁLEZ LODEIRO, F., MARQUÍNEZ GARCÍA, J., MARTÍN PARRA, L.M., MARTÍNEZ CATALÁN, J.R., PABLO MACIÁ, J.G. (1989). Memoria del mapa geológico de España, Escala 1:200.000, Ourense/Verín. Instituto Tecnológico GeoMinero de España, Madrid, 284 p.
BIRCH, G.F. (2017). Determination of sediment metal background concentrations and enrichment in marine environments–a critical review. Science of the total environment, 580, 813-831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.028
DUNG, T.T.T.; CAPPUYNS, V.; SWENNEN, R.; PHUNG, N.K. (2013). From geochemical background determination to pollution assessment of heavy metals in sediments and soils. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 12(4), 335-353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-013-9315-1
GRYGAR, T. M.; POPELKA, J. (2016). Revisiting geochemical methods of distinguishing natural concentrations and pollution by risk elements in fluvial sediments. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 170, 39-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2016.08.003
ICON (2001). Pollutants in urban waste water and sewage sludge. European Commission. Luxenburg.
LAMAS, R.; MIRANDA, M.M.; PEREIRA, A.J.S.C.; NEVES, L.J.P.F.; FERREIRA, N.; RODRIGUES, N.V. (2017). 3-D distribution of the radioelements in the granitic rocks of Northern and Central Portugal and geothermal implications. Cuadernos de geología ibérica = Journal of iberian geology: an international publication of earth sciences, 43(1), 3-12.
LLERENA, J.J.; CORTINA, D.; DURÁN, I.; SORRIBAS, R. (2013). Impact of the geological substrate on the radiological content of Galician waters. Journal of environmental radioactivity, 116, 48-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2012.08.014
LOCUTURA-RUPÉREZ, J.; BEL-IAN, A.; GARCÍA-COERTÉS, A.; MARTÍNEZ-ROMERO, S. (2012). Atlas Geoquímico de España. IGME, Madrid, 592 p.
LÓPEZ, D.L.; ARAUJO, P.A.; OUTEIRIÑO, I.D.; CID, J.A.; ASTRAY, G. (2019). Geochemical signatures of the groundwaters from Ourense thermal springs, Galicia, Spain. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 5(1), 103-116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-018-0239-3
MARMOLEJO-RODRÍGUEZ, A. J.; CAETANO, M.; PREGO, R.; VALE, C. (2008). Thorium accumulation in the sedimentary environment of the Vigo Ria (NW Iberian Peninsula). Journal of environmental radioactivity, 99(10), 1631-1635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.06.008
PLANT, J.A.; SAUNDERS, A.D. (1996). The radioactive earth. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 68(1-2), 25-36. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.rpd.a031847
PREGO, R.; FILGUEIRAS, A.V.; SANTOS-ECHEANDÍA, J. (2008). Temporal and spatial changes of total and labile metal concentration in the surface sediments of the Vigo Ria (NW Iberian Peninsula): Influence of anthropogenic sources. Marine pollution bulletin, 56(5), 1031-1042.
RUDNICK, R.L.; GAO, S. (2003). Composition of the Continental Crust. Treatise on Geochemistry, 3, 659.
SANTSCHI, P.H.; PRESLEY, B.J.; WADE, T.L.; GARCIA-ROMERO, B.; BASKARAN, M. (2001). Historical contamination of PAHs, PCBs, DDTs, and heavy metals in Mississippi river Delta, Galveston bay and Tampa bay sediment cores. Marine Environmental Research, 52, 51-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0141-1136(00)00260-9
TABOADA, T.; CORTIZAS, A.M.; GARCÍA, C.; GARCÍA-RODEJA, E. (2006). Uranium and thorium in weathering and pedogenetic profiles developed on granitic rocks from NW Spain. Science of the Total Environment, 356(1-3), 192-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.03.030
WHIPPLE, K.X.; DIBIASE, R.A.; CROSBY, B.T. (2013). Bedrock rivers. Fluvial Geomorphology (pp. 550-573). Elsevier Inc.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Miguel Ángel Álvarez-Vázquez, Elena de Uña-Álvarez, Ricardo Prego
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The copyright for manuscripts published in Environmental Smoke belongs to the author, with first publication rights for the journal. The published articles are of total and exclusive responsibility of the authors.
