<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The periodical nature of overbank sediment accumulation makes their detailed dating much more difficult than dating sediments in water reservoirs. To improve the commonly used dating with 137Cs, we combined this method with Pu isotopes and heavy metals in order to date sediments of the Chechło River (southern Poland), which was polluted by a lead-zinc mine. We analyzed 137Cs, Pu isotopes and heavy metal concentrations in three profiles of overbank sediments and in two profiles of subsidence basins in the lower river reach. The results indicate a lower accuracy and higher uncertainty of the overbank than the dating of reservoir sediments. The application of plutonium isotopes provided very important information validating caesium peaks or providing the principal information regarding horizons dated with heavy metals. The obtained dates give the earliest possible age of particular horizons with the actual sediment deposition delayed by several to a dozen years. This investigation shows that using plutonium radioisotopes can be a useful tool for dating, particularly of the youngest overbank sediments where numerous sedimentation gaps cause uncertainties in the application of other methods, e.g. radiocaesium and heavy metals.</abstract>

The periodical nature of overbank sediment accumulation makes their detailed dating much more difficult than dating sediments in water reservoirs. To improve the commonly used dating with 137Cs, we combined this method with Pu isotopes and heavy metals in order to date sediments of the Chechło River (southern Poland), which was polluted by a lead-zinc mine. We analyzed 137Cs, Pu isotopes and heavy metal concentrations in three profiles of overbank sediments and in two profiles of subsidence basins in the lower river reach. The results indicate a lower accuracy and higher uncertainty of the overbank than the dating of reservoir sediments. The application of plutonium isotopes provided very important information validating caesium peaks or providing the principal information regarding horizons dated with heavy metals. The obtained dates give the earliest possible age of particular horizons with the actual sediment deposition delayed by several to a dozen years. This investigation shows that using plutonium radioisotopes can be a useful tool for dating, particularly of the youngest overbank sediments where numerous sedimentation gaps cause uncertainties in the application of other methods, e.g. radiocaesium and heavy metals.

Application of 239,240 Pu, 137Cs and heavy metals for dating of river sediments

Geochronometria

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Application of  Pu, Cs and heavy metals for dating of river sediments

The periodical nature of overbank sediment accumulation makes their detailed dating much more difficult than dating sediments in water reservoirs. To improve...

Profiles	¹³⁷Cs inventory (Bq·m^–2)	^239+240Pu inventory (Bq·m^–2)
CI	5480 ± 580	62 ± 6
CII	5700 ± 630	247 ± 22
CIII	7690 ± 730	71 ± 6
SBI	10130 ± 930	59 ± 7
SBII	5780 ± 1000	nm

Application of ^239,240 Pu, ¹³⁷Cs and heavy metals for dating of river sediments

Article Category: Regular Articles

Published Online: Dec 19, 2019

Page range: 138 - 147

Received: Oct 03, 2019

Accepted: May 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/geochr-2015-0111

Keywords
Cs, Pu isotopes, heavy metals, sediments, dating

© 2018 D. Ciszewski and E. Łokas, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Average inventories (Bq·m–2) for overbank sediments and reservoir sediments profiles.

Application of 239,240 Pu, 137Cs and heavy metals for dating of river sediments

Article Category: Regular Articles

Published Online: Dec 19, 2019

Page range: 138 - 147

Received: Oct 03, 2019

Accepted: May 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/geochr-2015-0111

KeywordsCs, Pu isotopes, heavy metals, sediments, dating

© 2018 D. Ciszewski and E. Łokas, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Average inventories (Bq·m–2) for overbank sediments and reservoir sediments profiles.

Application of ^239,240 Pu, ¹³⁷Cs and heavy metals for dating of river sediments

Keywords
Cs, Pu isotopes, heavy metals, sediments, dating