Peloids of Crimean salt lakes and the Dead Sea: controls on composition and formation

Kotova, Irina K.; Kayukova, E. P.; Kotov, Sergey

doi:10.1007/s12665-016-5999-1

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…The occurrence of peloids is usually local and this type of natural resource is not voluminous on the world scale, national or even regional scales. The reports of therapeutic mud from the Dead Sea [28], Cuba [29], Mongolia [30], Spain [31] and Turkey [32] have proven these statements. Moreover, there are relatively few geological descriptions of peloids.…”

Section: Geoheritage Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Geoheritage Resource of Small Mud Lakes in the Semi-Arid Environments of the Russian South

Fedorov

Ruban

2019

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Lakes constitute a significant freshwater resource and are often regarded as being an important part of a country’s natural heritage. However, their geological heritage (geoheritage) value remains significantly understudied. Three small lakes, namely the Salt Lake, the Gruzskoe Lake and the Big Yashalta Lake, located in the central part of the Russian South were studied in this paper. The main focus of this research was to search for relevant unique geological features. This paper established that these lakes are distinguishable from other lakes by the presence of dark-colored mud that is rich in sulfides and methane. As a result of excessive summer evaporation, the lakes desiccate (partly or even fully) and this results in exposure of the mud as well as the formation of salt crystals and crusts. This bottom mud (peloid, therapeutic mud) forms as a result of highly-complex biogeochemical processes in semi-arid environments. This mud is interpreted as being part of the lake’s geoheritage as it belongs to sedimentary, geochemical and other types. Moreover, this geoheritage has a high ranking nationally. The most representative example can be found at the Big Yashalta Lake and for that reason, this lake is proposed as a geosite. Established sites of geoheritage importance are vital to geoscience research and geotourism activities and thus, these sites are considered to be a resource. Together with the development of local ecotourism and the use of peloids for the health industry purposes, the exploitation of this geoheritage resource would contribute to the sustainable development of the local area.

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Section: Geoheritage Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Geoheritage Resource of Small Mud Lakes in the Semi-Arid Environments of the Russian South

Fedorov

Ruban

2019

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“…In contrast, As is neither enriched in the brines nor in the mud of the modern Dead Sea. Kotova et al (2016) measured As concentrations of 0.01 mg.L 1 in the Dead Sea Brine, and up to 3 mg.L 1 in shallow Dead Sea mud of the western shore. Similar ranges of concentrations were measured from the eastern shore mud (Abdel-Fattah & Pingitore, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined Genomic and Imaging Techniques Show Intense Arsenic Enrichment Caused by Detoxification in a Microbial Mat of the Dead Sea Shore

Thomas,

Filella,

Ionescu

et al. 2024

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Microbial mats and microbialites are essential tools for reconstructing early life and its environments. To better understand microbial trace element cycling, a microbial mat was collected from the sinkhole systems of the western shores of the Dead Sea, a dynamic environment exhibiting diverse extreme environments. Intense arsenic enrichment was measured (up to 6.5 million times higher than current concentrations in water, and 400 times the bulk concentration in the mat). Arsenic was found predominantly as As(V) in organic molecules, as shown by XANES spectra and high‐resolution elemental mapping. Arsenic cycling genes obtained from metagenomic analysis were associated with arsenic detoxification, supporting an active mechanism of As(V) uptake, As(III) efflux and organoarsenic accumulation in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of the mat. Thus, we propose that such localized As enrichment can be attributed to a transient increase in As(V) concentrations in the circulating subsurface water of the Dead Sea shore and its subsequent incorporation into organoarsenic molecules through microbial detoxification processes. Our data set supports the possibility of metalloid enrichment recorded in very localized facies due to rapid geogenic fluctuations in the chemistry of the water flowing over a biofilm. In this context, this example calls for caution in interpreting metal(loid) enrichment in organic matter‐rich layers and microbialites of Paleoproterozoic origin. Arsenic signatures in Precambrian organic matter and carbonate rocks may host biosignatures, including evidence for extracellular polymeric substances, As‐binding and detoxification processes, without supporting arsenotrophy. However, they provide clues to better assess the paleoenvironmental conditions at the time of microbial mat formation.

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“…Maturated muds termed ‘peloids’ are composed of fine-grained minerals and/or organic matter derived from biological metabolic activity, mixed with sea water, salt water, or spring derived mineral-medicinal waters, and are widely used, in different cultures, for therapeutic purposes 1 – 7 . Sapropels are organic rich sediments (> 2% organic carbon) formed in stagnant water basins, mainly inland or coastal saline lakes, with high primary productivity and oxygen-depleted bottom water 8 . Contemporary sapropels (i.e., high saline modern sediments) undergo natural maturation to form natural peloids used as healing muds or muddy suspensions for curative purposes, at their occurrence sites 3 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Contemporary sapropels (i.e., high saline modern sediments) undergo natural maturation to form natural peloids used as healing muds or muddy suspensions for curative purposes, at their occurrence sites 3 . Organic-rich peloids from saline lakes are used together with mineral-rich brine water in treatments associated with musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders 8 , 9 . Naturally formed peloids have been investigated in marine areas from Croatia 10 – 12 , the Dead Sea and Crimean saline lakes 8 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comprehensive mineralogical and physicochemical characterization of recent sapropels from Romanian saline lakes for potential use in pelotherapy

Baricz

Levei

Șenilă

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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In this study we aimed to compare the mineralogical, thermal, physicochemical, and biological characteristics of recent organic carbon-rich sediments (‘sapropels’) from three geographically distant Romanian lakes (Tekirghiol and Amara, SE Romania, and Ursu, Central Romania) with distinct hydrogeochemical origins, presently used for pelotherapy. The investigated lakes were classified as inland brackish Na-Cl-sulfated type (Amara), coastal moderately saline and inland hypersaline Na-Cl types (Tekirghiol and Ursu, respectively). The settled organic matter is largely composed of photosynthetic pigments derived from autochthonous phytoplankton. Kerogen was identified in the sapropel of coastal Tekirghiol Lake suggesting its incipient maturation stage. The mineral composition was fairly similar in all sapropels and mainly consisted of quartz, calcite, and aragonite. Smectite, illite, mixed layer smectite/illite appeared as major clay components. Potentially toxic elements were found in low concentrations. The physical properties (i.e., specific heat, thermal conductivity and retentivity) and cation exchange capacity are comparable to other peloids used for therapy. This study is the first comprehensive multi-approached investigation of the geochemical nature of recent sapropels in Romanian saline lakes and thus contributes to expanding our knowledge on the origin and physicochemical qualities of organic matter-rich peloids with therapeutic uses.

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Peloids of Crimean salt lakes and the Dead Sea: controls on composition and formation

Cited by 9 publications

References 1 publication

Geoheritage Resource of Small Mud Lakes in the Semi-Arid Environments of the Russian South

Geoheritage Resource of Small Mud Lakes in the Semi-Arid Environments of the Russian South

Combined Genomic and Imaging Techniques Show Intense Arsenic Enrichment Caused by Detoxification in a Microbial Mat of the Dead Sea Shore

Comprehensive mineralogical and physicochemical characterization of recent sapropels from Romanian saline lakes for potential use in pelotherapy

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