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Fraction characteristics of rare earth elements in the surface sediment of Bohai Bay, North China

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Abstract

Surface sediment samples were collected at 27 stations of Bohai Bay, North China. Sequential extractions were carried out in this study. REE were leached out from four labile fractions: Exchangeable (L1), bound to carbonates (L2), bound to Fe–Mn oxides (L3), bound to organic matter (L4), and the remainder was residual (R5). The total contents of REE fluctuate slightly in Bohai Bay, and are mainly concentrated in the middle region, showing relatively higher levels in the north than that in the south of Bohai Bay. Percentages of L1, L2, L3, L4, and R5 for REE suggest that the residual fraction accounts for the major component of REE, whereas Fe–Mn oxides also play important roles in combining labile REE. As the REE complex is not stabilized, the competition of complex could induce dissociation of the complex and redistribution of the REE in various environments. According to REE patterns and Y/Ho ratios of samples, REE are not anthropogenic or oceanic sources but riverine input, whereas suitable environment varieties can slightly affect the patterns and fractionations of REE. As powerful tracers for the variable of environment, higher anomaly of Eu and Ce in southern regions indicates a greater reduction in the condition of surface sediment in the south than that in the north of Bohai Bay.

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Acknowledgments

This paper was supported by Fund for Creative Research Groups by NSFC (no. 40821004), the National Key Project for Basic Research of China (no. 2007CB407305), and the “100 Talents Project” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. We also show our sincere thanks to Mr. Patterson who has provided information about language editing on this paper. Project NO.2011T07 supported by special research fund for the national non-profit institutes (East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, People’s Republic of China

    Yayan Xu, **ming Song, Liqin Duan, Xuegang Li, Huamao Yuan, Ning Li, Peng Zhang, Ying Zhang, Sisi Xu, Mo Zhang, **aodan Wu & Xuebo Yin

  2. Key and Open Laboratory of Marine and Estuary Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture of China, East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of China

    Yayan Xu

  3. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bei**g, 100049, People’s Republic of China

    Yayan Xu, Liqin Duan, Peng Zhang, Ying Zhang, Sisi Xu, Mo Zhang & **aodan Wu

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  1. Yayan Xu
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Correspondence to **ming Song.

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Xu, Y., Song, J., Duan, L. et al. Fraction characteristics of rare earth elements in the surface sediment of Bohai Bay, North China. Environ Monit Assess 184, 7275–7292 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2496-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2496-6

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