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Geochemistry of recent lacustrine sediments from Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, maritime Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2015

Juan A. Alfonso ,
Yaneth Vasquez ,
Ana C. Hernandez ,
Abrahan Mora ,
Helga Handt  and
Eloy Sira
Juan A. Alfonso*
Affiliation:
Centro de Oceanología y Estudios Antárticos, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela
Yaneth Vasquez
Affiliation:
Centro de Oceanología y Estudios Antárticos, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela
Ana C. Hernandez
Affiliation:
Centro de Oceanología y Estudios Antárticos, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela
Abrahan Mora
Affiliation:
Centro de Oceanología y Estudios Antárticos, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela
Helga Handt
Affiliation:
Centro de Oceanología y Estudios Antárticos, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela
Eloy Sira
Affiliation:
Centro de Oceanología y Estudios Antárticos, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela
*
jalfonso@ivic.gob.ve
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Abstract

Comprehensive geochemical analyses (bulk parameters, major and trace elements, organic matter, mineralogy and particle analysis) were carried out on sediments from seven lakes on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island. The resulting compositional dataset was subjected to principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed that four different lacustrine sedimentary environments can be distinguished: i) lakes 1 and 2 with relatively high values of secondary aluminous clay minerals, ii) lake 4 with anthropogenic enrichment of Co, Cu and Zn, iii) lake 7 with relatively high values of Ba and P and a high zeolite content, and iv) all the other studied lakes. Our results indicate moderate chemical weathering in all lacustrine sediments and that the distance to the glacial ice margin is one of the most important factors influencing the chemical weathering in the area. Furthermore, depositional processes have little influence on the geochemistry of the investigated elements and that local bedrock is the main source of sediments in the lakes on Fildes Peninsula.

Keywords

chemical weatheringcomprehensive geochemical characterizationlake sedimentsSouth Shetlands Islands
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 27 , Issue 5 , October 2015 , pp. 462 - 471
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Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2015 

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