Trace and Major Elements in Sediments and in Porewaters from the North WesternBasin of the Mediterranean Sea

摘要

As part of the EROS-2000 project (European River Ocean Systems), which is aninternational and interdisciplinary research program of the European Community, sediment samples were collected in the North Western basin of the Mediterranean Sea in May 1990. In these samples trace and/or major elements were determined to advance the knowledge about the manifestation, sources and cycles of natural and anthropogenic constituents in coastal areas. Three fractions were determined: the porewater fraction which contains all dissolved elements, the leachable fraction which contains all easily exchangeable elements and the residual fraction which contains the not exchangeable elements in the sediments. The results show that the investigated area can be separated into five 'sub-areas' which are different in element concentration, leachable fraction and sedimentary composition. Highest concentrations of trace elements are found in sediments closest to the Rhone delta. In this area several diagenetic processes are observable.