Patitioning of chemical elements into mineral species in core sediment from Don Juan Pond using selective chemical leaching technique

Abstract

A selective chemical leaching technique has been applied to the sediment core samples from Don Juan Pond in Antarctica, which is known as a very high calcium chloride saline pond. The vertical profiles are shown on the partitioning of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn into the following four fractions of the sediment; 1M CH_3COOH soluble, 1M NH_2OH・HCl+25% CH_3COOH soluble, 1.2M HCl soluble and HClO_4+HF soluble fractions. The partitioning of trace metals into gypsum and calcite found in the sediment has been estimated. This may be helpful for the discussion on the formation processes of the sediment and also of the calcium chloride water in Don Juan Pond.