| Abstract: | Minicores of seabottom sediments from typical coastal and estuarine areas of Greece (the Gulf of Elefsis and the estuaries of the Acheloos and Louros rivers), influenced in a widely varying degree by anthropogenic inputs, were analysed for trace metal content and measured for a series of magnetic properties (i.e., total magnetic susceptibility, frequency dependent susceptibility, isothermal remanent magnetization and demagnetization).Apparent linkages between trace metal content (total or in chemically leached fractions) and magnetic properties were found in cores from all areas. Variations in the relative importance of the non-leachable fraction of metals in the Elefsis Gulf sediments closely parallel changes in the percentage frequency dependent susceptibility, which can be considered as indicator of soil derived material.By combining chemical and magnetic data, very useful information was obtained on: (a) the origin (industrial) of the rapidly deposited sediments in the Gulf of Elefsis; (b) the deposition rate, which was estimated as 0.5 cm per annum; (c) the range and nature of the major natural particle assemblages present in the Acheloos and Louros estuaries; (d) the distinction between the assemblages deriving from the erosion of surface soils and from unweathered parent material; (e) the identification of particles acting as major trace metal carriers (viz. anthropogenic particulates and soil-derived clays).In general the results confirm that integrated trace metal—magnetic studies can provide valuable data on the origin, transport and sedimentation mechanisms of trace metals associated in various ways with particles in coastal and estuarine systems. New perspectives are briefly discussed. |
