We studied photochemically induced
precipitation of rare-earth
elements (REEs) in water from a tributary to Plešné
Lake and a tributary to Jiřická Pond, Czech Republic.
Both tributaries had high concentrations of dissolved organic matter
(∼1.8 mmol C L–1). Filtered (0.2 μm)
samples were exposed to artificial solar radiation of 350 W m–2 for 48 to 96 h, corresponding to 3 to 6 days of natural
solar radiation in summer at the sampling locations. Experiments were
performed with altered and unaltered pH ranging from 3.8 to 6.0. The
formation of particulate REEs occurred in all exposed samples with
the fastest formation observed at the original pH. The formation of
particulate metals continued in irradiated samples after the end of
irradiation, suggesting that photochemically induced reactions and/or
continuing precipitation continue in darkness or in deeper water due
to mixing. Results were compared with paleolimnological records in
the Plešné Lake sediment. At pH 5.0, the photochemically
induced sediment flux was 3509 nmol m–2 y–1 for Ce, corresponding to 42% of the REEs’ annual sediment
flux in recent sediment layers. Combining the formation rates obtained
in the laboratory irradiation experiments and known 1 day incident
solar radiation enabled the estimation of a possible REE sediment
flux. For Plešné Lake, the photochemically induced formation
of particulate REEs explained 10–44% of the REE concentrations
in the upper sediment layers. Observed photochemically induced sequestration
of REEs into sediments can explain a significant part of the REEs’
history in the Holocene sediment.