Distribution, Fractionation, and Fluxes of the Rare-Earth Elements in the Suspended Matter-Bottom Sediment System in the Mekong and Saigon River Estuaries, South China Sea

摘要

The contents of the rare-earth elements and their distribution in the suspended matter-bottom sediment system within the estuaries of the Mekong and Saigon rivers (South China Sea) were studied using neutron activation analysis. The data obtained are used to estimate the fractionation coefficients and the sedimentary fluxes of the rare-earth elements in different parts of the area studied. By means of a comparative analysis, the natural processes controlling the behavior of the rare-earth elements in the estuaries of the Mekong and Saigon rivers (South China Sea) are determined.