Geochemical characteristics of Holocene sediments from Chuadanga district, Bangladesh: Implications for weathering, climate, redox conditions, provenance and tectonic setting

Abstract

The present research deals with the geochemical characteristics of the Holocene sediments from Alamdanga area, Chuadanga district, Bangladesh. Main goals of the study are to delineate source rock characteristics, degree of chemical weathering and sorting processes and behavior of redox conditions during deposition of the sediments. Geochemical characteristics of the sediments show comparatively a wide variation in accordance with stratigraphy in their major element contents (e.g. SiO2 69.46–82.13, Al2O3 2.28–8.88 in wt%), reflecting the distinctive provenance and in part an unstable period in terms of tectonic activity. Geochemical classification of the sediments shows mostly sub-arkose with few sub-litharenites. Some major and trace elements display comprehensible correlation with Al2O3 confirming their possible hydraulic fractionation. The chemical index of alteration (CIA*), W* index, index of compositional variability (ICV), plagioclase index of alteration (PIA*) values and the ratio of SiO2/Al2O3, suggest low degrees of chemical weathering in the source areas as well as immature to moderately mature the sediments. The sediments suggest semi-arid climatic trends within oxic deltaic depositional conditions during the Holocene, at 3–12 ka. Whole rock geochemistry and discrimination diagrams demonstrate the continental signature derivatives, which might have been derived from the felsic to intermediate igneous rocks (granitic plutonic rocks) as well as from quartzose sedimentary/metamorphic provenance. These typical sources are present in a vast region of the Himalayan belt and catchment areas of Ganges. The tectonic setting of the sediments demarcates typically passive margin with slightly continental arc system.