SpringerLink
Log in

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Ngaoundaba Crater Lake sediments, northern Cameroon: implications for provenance and trace metals status

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Acta Geochimica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was conducted on the Ngaoundaba Crater Lake sediments to infer provenance, weathering conditions, organic matter accumulation, and trace metal concentrations. Ngaoundaba Lake sediments were collected using a manual core sampler at 5 to 8 m water depth. Two sediment cores from the littoral and center of the lake were analyzed for grain size distribution, water content (WC), organic matter content, mineralogy, and major and trace element concentrations. The Ngaoundaba sediments were classified as silt and sandy silt. Sediments show high content in organic matter, which is more to the littoral than to the center of the lake, varying from 14.6% to 24% and 21.2% to 40.8%, respectively. The grain surface features identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) show both chemical and mechanical microtextures with sub-rounded to angular shape suggesting both proximal and distal sources. The lake sediments are composed of quartz, kaolinite, and hematite, with low amounts of feldspars, rutile, calcite, illite, and ilmenite. Weathering indices such as the chemical index of alteration (CIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW), and index of compositional variability (ICV) indicate moderate to intense chemical weathering in the source area and immature to mature sediments. The geochemical composition indicates that the sediments were derived from felsic to intermediate igneous rocks, such as granitoids, and mafic alkali lavas like basanites. The environmental risk assessment of trace metals obtained by enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (I-geo) shows low contamination of the lake sediments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akoachere RA, Etone EN, Mbua RL, Ngassam MP, Longonje SN, Oben PM, Engome RW (2019) Trace metals in groundwater of the south eastern piedmont region of Mount Cameroon: quantification and health risk assessment. Open Access Library J 6(4):1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Anaya-Gregorio A, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Machain-Castillo ML, Montiel-García PC, Ramos-Vázquez MA (2018) Textural and geochemical characteristics of late Pleistocene to Holocene fine-grained deep-sea sediment cores (GM6 and GM7), recovered from southwestern Gulf of Mexico. J Palaeogeogr 7:253–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong-Altrin JS (2020) U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology and geochemistry of the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach sediments, Veracruz State, Gulf of Mexico: a new insight on palaeoenvironment. J Palaeogeogr. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42501-020-00075-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong-Altrin JS, Botello AV, Villanueva SF, Soto LA (2019) Geochemistry of surface sediments from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: implications for provenance and heavy metal contamination. Geol Q 63:522–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong-Altrin JS, Ramos-Vázquez MA, Hermenegildo-Ruiz NY, Madhavaraju J (2020) Microtexture and U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircon grains in the Chachalacas beach, Veracruz State, Gulf of Mexico. Geol J. https://doi.org/10.1002/gj.3984

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong-Altrin JS, Ramos-Vázquez MA, Zavala-León AC, Montiel-García PC (2018) Provenance discrimination between Atasta and Alvarado beach sands, western Gulf of Mexico, Mexico: constraints from detrital zircon chemistry and U-Pb geochronology. Geol J 53:2824–2848

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Badar B, Romshoo SA, Khan MA (2013) Modelling catchment hydrological responses in a Himalayan Lake as a function of changing land use and land cover. J Earth Syst Sci 122(2):433–449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhuiyan MA, Islam MA, Dampare SB, Parvez L, Suzuki S (2010) Evaluation of hazardous metal pollution in irrigation and drinking water systems in the vicinity of a coal mine area of northwestern Bangladesh. J Hazard Mater 179(1–3):1065–1077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnham OM, Schweyer J (2004) Trace element analysis of geological samples by ICP–MS at the Geoscience Laboratories: Revised capabilities due to improvements to instrumentation. Summary of field work and other activities, pp 54–71

  • Cox R, Lowe DR, Cullers RL (1995) The influence of sediment recycling and basement composition on evolution of mudrock chemistry in the southwestern United States. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 59:2919–2940

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cullers RL, Graf JL (1984) Rare earth elements in igneous rocks of the continental crust: intermediate and silicic rocks–ore petrogenesis. Dev Geochem 2:275–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekoa Bessa AZ, Ngueutchoua G, Ndjigui PD (2018a) Mineralogy and geochemistry of sediments from Simbock Lake, Yaoundé area (southern Cameroon): provenance and environmental implications. Arab J Geosci 11:710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekoa Bessa AZ, El-Amier YA, Doumo EPE, Ngueutchoua G (2018b) Assessment of sediments pollution by trace metals in the Moloundou swamp, southeast Cameroon. Ann Res Rev Biol 30:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fulvio F, Ahad JME, Geris J (2020) Modern sediment records of hydroclimatic extremes and associated potential contaminant mobilization in semi-arid environments: lessons learnt from recent flood-drought cycles in southern Botswana. J Soils Sediments 20:1632–1650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham SA, Dickinson WR, Ingersoll RV (1975) Himalayan-Bengal model for flysch dispersal in the Appalachian-Ouachita system. Geol Soc Am Bull 86(3):273–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harnois L (1988) The CIW index: a new chemical index of weathering. Sed Geol 55:319–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Hinojosa V, Montiel-García PC, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Nagarajan R, Kasper-Zubillaga JJ (2018) Textural and geochemical characteristics of beach sands along the western Gulf of Mexico, Mexico. Carpathian J Earth Environ Sci 13(1):161–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herron MM (1988) Geochemical classification of terrigenous sands and shales from core or log data. J Sediment Res 58:820–829

    Google Scholar 

  • Hossain HMZ, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Jamil AHMN, Rahman MM, Hernández-Coronado CJ, Ramos-Vázquez MA (2020) Microtextures on quartz grains in the Kuakata beach, Bangladesh: implications for provenance and depositional environment. Arab J Geosci 13:291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-5265-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kling GW (1988) Comparative transparency, depth of mixing, and stability of stratification in lakes of Cameroon, West Africa 1. Limnol Oceanogr 33(1):27–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuscu M, Cengiz O, Kahya A (2018) Mineralogy and geochemistry of sedimentary huntite deposits in the Egirdir-Hoyran Lake Basin of Southern Turkey. J Geol Soc India 91(4):496–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lami A, Guilizzoni P, Bettinetti R, Belis CA, Manca M, Comoli P, Chondrogianni C (1996) Biological records of late Pleistocene and Holocene environmental changes from two Italian crater lake sediments: results from an European interdisciplinary research project (PALICLAS) Il Quaternario. Italian J Quat Sci 9(2):711–720

    Google Scholar 

  • Lebamba J, Vincens A, Lézine AM, Marchant R, Buchet G (2016) Forest-savannah dynamics on the Adamawa plateau (Central Cameroon) during the “African humid period” termination: a new high-resolution pollen record from Lake Tizong. Rev Palaeobot Palynol 235:129–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loska K, Cebula J, Pelczar J, Wiechuła D, Kwapuliński J (1997) Use of enrichment, and contamination factors together with geoaccumulation indexes to evaluate the content of Cd, Cu, and Ni in the Rybnik water reservoir in Poland. Water Air Soil Pollut 93(1–4):347–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madhavaraju J, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Pillai RB, Pi-Puig T (2020) Geochemistry of sands from the Huatabampo and Altata beaches. Gulf of California, Mexico. Geol J. https://doi.org/10.1002/gj.3864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahaney WC, Vortisch W, Julig PJ (1988) Relative differences between glacially crushed quartz transported by mountain and continental ice; some examples from North America and East Africa. Am J Sci 288(8):810–826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahaney WC (2002) Atlas of sand grain surface textures and applications. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandeng EPB, Bidjeck LMB, Ekoa Bessa AZ, Ntomb YD, Wadjou JW, Doumo EPE, Dieudonné LB (2019) Contamination and risk assessment of heavy metals, and uranium of sediments in two watersheds in Abiete-Toko gold district, Southern Cameroon. Heliyon 5(10):e02591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mbale Ngama E, Sababa E, Bayiga EC, Ekoa Bessa AZ, Ndjigui PD, Bilong P (2019) Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of the unconsolidated sands from the Mefou River terrace, Yaoundé area, Southern Cameroon. J Afr Earth Sci 159:103570

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDonough WF, Sun SS (1995) The composition of the Earth. Chem Geol 120:223–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLennan SM, Hemming S, McDaniel DK, Hanson GN (1993) Geochemical approaches to sedimentation, provenance, and tectonics. In: Processes Controlling the Composition of Clastic Sediments. Special Papers-Geological Society of America, pp 284–40

  • Meyers PA, Ishiwatari R (1995) Organic matter accumulation records in lake sediments. In: Lerman A, Imboden DM, Gat JR (eds) Physics and chemistry of lakes. Springer, Berlin, pp 279–328

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Muller G (1969) Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the rhine river. GeoJournal 2(3):108–118

    Google Scholar 

  • N’Nanga A, Simon N III, Gabriel N (2019) The Late Pleistocene-Holocene paleoclimate reconstruction in the Adamawa plateau (Central Cameroon) inferred from the geochemistry and mineralogy of the Lake Fonjak sediments. J Afr Earth Sc 150:23–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nesbitt HW, Young GM (1982) Early Proterozoic climates and plate motions inferred from major element chemistry of lutite. Nature 299:715–717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nesbitt HW, Young GM (1984) Prediction of some weathering trends of plutonic and volcanic rocks based on thermodynamic and kinetic considerations. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 48:1523–1534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ngos S III, Giresse P, Maley J (2003) Palaeoenvironments of Lake Assom near Tibati (south Adamawa, Cameroon) What happened in Tibati around 1700 years bp? J Afr Earth Sci 37(1–2):35–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ngos S III, Giresse P (2005) Pyroclastic accumulations of two crater lakes (Mbalang, Tizong) of. The Holocene 22:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Ngos S III, Giresse P (2012) The Holocene sedimentary and pyroclastic accumulations of two crater lakes (Mbalang, Tizong) of the volcanic plateau of Adamawa (Cameroon): palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. The Holocene 22(1):31–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguetsop VF, Bentaleb I, Favier C, Bietrix S, Martin C, Servant-Vildary S, Servant M (2013) A Late Holocene palaeoenvironmental record from Lake Tisong, northern Cameroon using diatom and carbon stable isotope analyses. Q Sci Rev 72:49–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguetsop VF, Bentaleb I, Favier C, Martin C, Bietrix S, Giresse P, Servant-Vildary S, Servant M (2011) Past environmental and climatic changes during the last 7200 cal yr BP in Adamawa plateau (Northern-Cameroun) based on fossil diatoms and sedimentary carbon isotopic records from lake Mbalang. Clim Past 7(4):1371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ngueutchoua G, Ekoa Bessa AZ, Eyong JT, Zandjio DD, Djaoro HB, Nfada LT (2019) Geochemistry of cretaceous fine-grained siliciclastic rocks from Upper Mundeck and Logbadjeck Formations, Douala sub-basin, SW Cameroon: implications for weathering intensity, provenance, paleoclimate, redox condition, and tectonic setting. J Afr Earth Sc 152:215–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Njombie MPW, Temdjim R, Foley SF (2018) Petrology of spinel lherzolite xenoliths from Youkou volcano, Adamawa Massif, Cameroon Volcanic Line: mineralogical and geochemical fingerprints of sub-rift mantle processes. Contrib Miner Petrol 173(2):13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nkouandou OF, Ngounouno I, Déruelle B, Ohnenstetter D, Montigny R, Demaiffe D (2008) Petrology of the mio-pliocene volcanism to the north and east of ngaoundéré (Adamawa, Cameroon). C R Geosci 340:28–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos-Vázquez M, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Rosales-Hoz L, Machain-Castillo ML, Carranza-Edwards A (2017) Geochemistry of deep-sea sediments in two cores retrieved at the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos river delta, Western Gulf of Mexico, Mexico. Arab J Geosci 10:148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos-Vázquez MA, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Machain-Castillo ML, Gío-Argáez FR (2018) Foraminiferal assemblages, 14C ages, and compositional variations in two sediment cores in the western Gulf of Mexico. J S Am Earth Sci 88:480–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos-Vázquez MA, Armstrong-Altrin JS (2019) Sediment chemistry and detrital zircon record in the Bosque and Paseo del Mar coastal areas from the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Mar Pet Geol 110:650–675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos-Vázquez MA, Armstrong-Altrin JS (2020) Provenance and palaeoenvironmental significance of microtextures in quartz and zircon grains from the Paseo del Mar and Bosque beaches, Gulf of Mexico. J Earth Syst Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01491-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivera-Gómez MA, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Verma SP, Díaz-González L (2020) APMDisc: an online computer program for the geochemical discrimination of siliciclastic sediments from active and passive margins. Turk J Earth Sci 29:550–578. https://doi.org/10.3906/yer-1908-15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roser BP, Korsch RJ (1986) Determination of tectonic setting of sandstone-mudstone suites using SiO2 content and K2O/Na2O ratio. J Geol 94:635–650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salati S, Moore F (2010) Assessment of heavy metal concentration in the Khoshk River water and sediment, Shiraz, Southwest Iran. Environ Monit Assess 164(1–4):677–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souaibou S, Ondoa JM, Elimbi A, Ekodeck GE, Kamgang VK (2015) Caractéristiques morphologiques et géochimiques des manteaux d’altération développés surgranitoïdes dans la région de l’Adamaoua (Cameroun). Eur Sci J 11:187–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun W, Zhang E, Liu E, Chang J, Shen J (2018) Impacts of chemical weathering and grain-size distribution on Lake **ngkai sediment geochemistry since the last interglacial period. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 512:71–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tapia-Fernandez HJ, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Selvaraj K (2017) Geochemistry and U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircons in the Brujas beach sands, Campeche, Southwestern Gulf of Mexico, Mexico. J S Am Earth Sci 76:346–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tawfik HA, Salah MK, Maejima W, Armstrong-Altrin JS, Abdel-Hameed A-MT, Ghandour MME (2018) Petrography and geochemistry of the Lower Miocene Moghra sandstones, Qattara Depression, north Western Desert. Egypt Geol J 53:1938–1953

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tehna N, Sababa E, Ekoa Bessa AZ, Etame J (2019) Mine waste and heavy metal pollution in Betare-Oya Mining Area (Eastern Cameroon). Environ Earth Sci Res J 6(4):167–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Temdjim R, Njilah IK, Kamgang P, Nkoumbou C (2004) New data on felsic lava at Ngaoundere (Adamaoua, Cameroon Line): K-Ar chronology and petrology. Afr J Sci Technol 5(2):113–123 (in French)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiabou AF, Temdjim R, Wandji P, Bardintzeff JM, Che VB, Tibang EEB, Mebara FXO (2019) Baossi-Warack monogenetic volcanoes, Adamawa Plateau, Cameroon: petrography, mineralogy and geochemistry. Acta Geochim 38(1):40–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tribovillard NP, Desprairies A, Lallier-Vergès E, Bertrand P, Moureau N, Ramdani A, Ramanampisoa L (1994) Geochemical study of organic-matter rich cycles from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of Yorkshire (UK): productivity versus anoxia. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 108(1–2):165–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turekian K, Wedepohl K (1961) Distribution of the elements in some major units of the Earth’s crust. Am Geol Soc Bull 72:175–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tyson RV (2012) Sedimentary organic matter: organic facies and palynofacies. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Udayanapillai AV, Perumal V, Armstrong-Altrin JS (2020) Provenance, weathering, tectonic setting and palaeo-oxygenation condition of the Cretaceous calcareous grey shale (CGS) from the Kallakudi Dalmia limestone quarry no: II, Uttatur group, Trichinopoly, Tamilnadu, India. Himal Geol 41:11–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Ufer K, Stanjek H, Roth G, Dohrmann R, Kleeberg R, Kaufhold S (2008) Quantitative phase analysis of bentonites by the Rietveld method. Clay Clay Miner 56:272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vincens A, Buchet G, Servant M (2010) Vegetation response to the African humid period termination in central Cameroon (7°N)—new pollen insight from Lake Mbalang. Clim Past 6:281–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walkley A, Black IA (1934) An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci 37:29–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wardhani E, Roosmini D, Notodarmojo S (2017) Status of heavy metal in sediment of Saguling Lake, West Java. In: IOP conference series: earth and environmental science, vol 60, p 012035

  • Wedepohl KH (1995) The composition of the continental crust. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 59(7):1217–1232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whalley WB, Krinsley DH (1974) A scanning electron microscope study of surface textures of quartz grains from glacial environments. Sedimentology 21(1):87–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng SQ, Wang J, Fu XG, Chen WB, Feng XL, Wang D, Wang ZW (2015) Geochemical characteristics, redox conditions, and organic matter accumulation of marine oil shale from the Changliang Mountain area, northern Tibet, China. Mar Pet Geol 64:203–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziem à Bidias LAZ, Chazot G, Moundi A, Nonnotte P (2018) Extreme source heterogeneity and complex contamination patterns along the Cameroon Volcanic Line: new geochemical data from the Bamoun plateau. C R Geosci 350(3):100–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The first author thanks the crew of the Botswana International University of Sciences and Technology (BIUST) for their assistance in data acquisitions, interpretations, and laboratory equipment. He also thanks to the African-German Network of Excellence in Science (AGNES) for granting a Mobility Grant in 2019. The Grant was generously sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. We are indebted to the anonymous reviewers and Dr. Elisabeth B. Rampe for their comments, discussions, and suggestions on the manuscript, which significantly improved our presentation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Armel Zacharie Ekoa Bessa, Gentry Calistus Fuh & Paul-Désiré Ndjigui

  2. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar Y Limnología, Unidad de Procesos Oceánicos y Costeros, Circuito exterior s/n, 04510, México, D.F., Mexico

    John S. Armstrong-Altrin

  3. Department of Mining and Geological Engineering, Botswana International University of Sciences and Technology, Private Bag 16, Palapye, Botswana

    Thierry Bineli Betsi & Tebogo Kelepile

Authors
  1. Armel Zacharie Ekoa Bessa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John S. Armstrong-Altrin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gentry Calistus Fuh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Thierry Bineli Betsi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tebogo Kelepile
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Paul-Désiré Ndjigui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Armel Zacharie Ekoa Bessa.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Fig. SM1.

Grain size characterization of AZ and NL core samples on sand–silt–clay ternary diagram. (DOCX 248 kb)

Fig. SM2.

Geochemical classification of lacustrine sediments based on log (SiO2/Al2O3) versus log (Fe2O3/K2O) diagram (after Herron 1988). (DOCX 245 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ekoa Bessa, A.Z., Armstrong-Altrin, J.S., Fuh, G.C. et al. Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Ngaoundaba Crater Lake sediments, northern Cameroon: implications for provenance and trace metals status. Acta Geochim 40, 718–738 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-021-00463-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-021-00463-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation