Journal article
Accumulation patterns of rare earths and other elements in coastal lake sediments under different land uses
Journal of South American earth sciences, Vol.161, pp.1-10
08/2025
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Abstract
The elemental composition of sediments can provide valuable records of environmental changes, including land-use impacts. This study evaluates the role of major, trace, and rare earth elements (REE) in sediment cores from three coastal lakes in southern Brazil which have been influenced by varying land-use pressures. These differing influences range from intensive agriculture to near-pristine wetlands. Using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis, we quantified 25 elements in dated sediment cores and calculated enrichment factors (EF) to differentiate natural from anthropogenic contributions. The La-Sc-Th ternary diagram was employed to trace sediment provenance. Our results revealed contrasting impacts of land-use changes. Mirim Lagoon showed barium enrichment which was previously attributed to coal mining and combustion, while Mangueira Lagoon exhibited increased REE concentrations post-1950, likely linked to the use of agricultural fertiliser. Nicola Lake, by contrast, demonstrated minimal anthropogenic influence. Sediment dilution and resuspension in larger systems, such as Mirim Lagoon, mitigated observable changes despite intense land-use activities. These findings highlight the distinct responses of lake systems to land-use pressures, providing insights into their sedimentary dynamics and potential for environmental monitoring.
Details
- Title
- Accumulation patterns of rare earths and other elements in coastal lake sediments under different land uses
- Creators
- Carolina Bueno - Centro Universitario Regional del Este (Uruguay)Christian J. Sanders - Southern Cross UniversityDeborah I.T. Favaro - Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e NuclearesSantiago Guerrero - Ministerio de Industria, Energía y MineríaFelipe Hax Niencheski - Universidade Federal Do Rio GrandeCarlos Andrade - Universidade Federal Do Rio GrandeWilliam Burnett - Florida State UniversityIsaac R. Santos - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Journal of South American earth sciences, Vol.161, pp.1-10
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- This research was accomplished under the Postgraduation Programme PEDECIBA-Geociencias, Uruguay supported by the Agencia Nacional de Investigacion ´ e Innovacion ´ (ANII): POS_NAC_2017_1_141233.
- Identifiers
- 991013285535802368
- Copyright
- © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; National Marine Science Centre
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article