The Impact of Coastal Geodynamic Processes on the Distribution of Trace Metal Content in Sandy Beach Sediments, South-Eastern Baltic Sea Coast (Lithuania)

Abstract

Sandy coasts are one of the most dynamic spheres; continuously changing due to natural processes (severe weather and rising water levels) and human activities (coastal protection or port construction). Coastal geodynamic processes lead to beach sediment erosion or accumulation. The coast’s dynamic tendencies determine the changes in the volume of beach sediments; grain size; mineralogical; and geochemical composition of sediments. In addition to lithological and mineralogical analysis of sediments, geochemical analysis can provide valuable information about the local and regional patterns of sediment transport, distribution, provenance, and coasts’ conditions. The study aims to assess trace metals’ temporal and spatial distribution determined in the sandy beach sediments along the south-eastern Baltic Sea coast (Lithuania) during 2011–2018. The Lithuanian seacoast is divided into two parts: mainland and spit coast. Our results revealed that the dominant group of elements on the mainland includes Ca–Mg–Mn–Ti and on the Curonian Spit Fe–Pb–As–Co–Cr–Ni–Al, which remain unchanged during the years. The analysis included additional parameters such as beach volume, grain size and sorting, and heavy mineral concentration on the beach. The spatial analysis of trace elements indicated that the trace metal content depends on the coastal processes, but it differs in the mainland and spit sea coast. We identified a higher concentration of trace metals in the erosion-dominated areas in all analysed years on the mainland coast. On the spit coast, the trace metal concentration increased in areas associated with relict coarse sand and where the loading of sediments was active on the beach due to the northward along-shore transport.

Evaluation of pollution of Arenosols on the city beach in Gdańsk, north Poland

“…The amount of cadmium in the analysed area was approximately 0.003 mg•kg -1 . Similar dependencies were also obtained for the beaches at the Baltic Sea, where it was evidenced that cadmium contents in sandy soil are relatively low, but can increase in the vicinity of an industrial or port zone (Karloniene et al, 2021). Research conducted in beaches of south Spain showed the content of cadmium in sand higher in the vicinity of a petroleum refinery, potentially leading to the pollution of marine waters, and posing a threat for the public health (Nelson et al, 1993).…”

Geochemical characteristics of shoreline sediments from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh: Implications for provenance and source‐rock weathering

“…These coarser particles are deposited on the beach as well as in the nearshore zone. The finer‐grained light mineral particles in the swash zone are typically washed away and the heavier parts of the fine‐grained sediment fractions (i.e., the heavy minerals) are deposited with the coarser fractions (Karlonienė et al, 2021). Therefore, the high HREE, TiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 T, Zr, Th, Y, Ni, Pb and Cr concentrations in the shoreline sediments indicate that their abundances are likely connected to the hydrodynamic conditions of the coast.…”

“…Coastal processesGeodynamic processes in coastal regions can lead to variations in the grain size, mineralogical composition, and geochemical pattern of beach/ shoreline sediments(Karlonienė, Pupienis, Jarmalavičius, Dubikaltinienė, & Žilinskas, 2021); conversely, the grain-size pattern and provenance of sediments can directly influence the geochemistry of shoreline sandy sediments. Few Sonadia Island samples contained high relative abundances of Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 T, TiO 2 , P 2 O 5 , Zr, Ni, Cr and V, because of the presence of clay materials as well as hydrodynamic sorting effects along the seashore Garzanti et al (2011).…”

“…These coarser particles are deposited on the beach as well as in the nearshore zone. The finer-grained light mineral particles in the swash zone are typically washed away and the heavier parts of the finegrained sediment fractions (i.e., the heavy minerals) are deposited with the coarser fractions(Karlonienė et al, 2021). Therefore, the U R E 8 (a) Th/Sc versus Zr/Sc plot(McLennan et al, 1993), and (b) Th/Sc versus Sc plot…”

Transport, Persistence, and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea

“…Karlonien ė et al [12] assessed trace heavy metals' temporal and spatial distribution in the sandy beach sediments along the south-eastern Baltic Sea coast (Lithuania). They studied how geochemical analysis can provide valuable information about the local and regional patterns of sediment transport, distribution, provenance, and coasts condition.…”