Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 31, 2026

Sediment Core Extrusion Method at Millimeter Resolution Using a Calibrated, Threaded-rod
Published on: August 17, 2016
Dynamics of metallic contaminants at a basin scale--Spatial and temporal reconstruction from four sediment cores
E Dhivert1, C Grosbois1, A Courtin-Nomade2
1Université François Rabelais de Tours, EA 6293 GéHCO, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France.
Abstract:
From the 19th century, the Loire basin (France) presents potentially pollutant activities such as mining and heavy industries. This paper shows spatio-temporal distribution of trace elements in sediments at a basin-scale, based on a comparison of archived temporal signals recorded in four sedimentary cores. Anthropogenic sources contributing to sediment contamination are also characterized, using geochemical signatures recorded in river bank sediments of the most industrialized tributaries. This study highlights upstream-downstream differences concerning recorded contamination phases in terms of spatial influence and temporality of archiving processes. Such differences were related to (i) various spatial influences of contamination sources and (ii) polluted sediments dispersion controlled by transport capacity of metal-carrier phases and hydrosedimentary dynamics.

