Geochemistry of quaternary sediments of Haji-Arab river catchment, Qazvin Plain, Northwestern Iran: provenance and source rock weathering

Quaternary sediments of the Haji Arab River catchment located in Qazvin Plain, northwestern Iran, were studied in terms of sedimentology and geochemistry to determine the sedimentary environment and rock weathering. Discrimination diagrams show that the source rock of these sediments is granite and...

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Published inInternational journal of environmental science and technology (Tehran) Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 2425 - 2442
Main Authors Khakestari, M., Feiznia, S., Aleali, M., Dehpahlavan, M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2022
Subjects
Aquatic Pollution
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecotoxicology
Environment
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Science and Engineering
Original Paper
Soil Science & Conservation
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
Sediment geochemistry
Central Iran
Holocene
Floodplain environment
Alluvial fan deposits
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Summary:Quaternary sediments of the Haji Arab River catchment located in Qazvin Plain, northwestern Iran, were studied in terms of sedimentology and geochemistry to determine the sedimentary environment and rock weathering. Discrimination diagrams show that the source rock of these sediments is granite and their tectonic setting is the active continental margin. These rocks show a negative Eu anomaly and a high ratio of light rare earth elements to heavy rare earth elements, suggesting that these sediments are originated due to the weathering of felsic rocks. Regarding the descending trend of chemical index of weathering, chemical index of alteration values, and the increase in coarse-grained particles, it was concluded that the sediments from the depth of 6 to 2.6 m formed under arid and high-energy conditions; however, this trend for sediments from 2.6 m depth to surface changes slightly toward semi-humid up to semiarid climate. Hence, it can be stated that the conditions of sedimentation environments in the Haji Arab basin are not constant at least in the Upper Holocene (Schmidt et al. in Holocene, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683610385961 ) and this has led to changes in river sedimentation. These results indicate the changes in river regime conditions probably because of the changes in weather conditions during the Quaternary.
ISSN:1735-1472
1735-2630
DOI:10.1007/s13762-021-03342-x