The content of chemical elements in alluvial soils and bottom sediments of the Urkan River (the Amur River basin)

Abstract

The distribution patterns of the chemical elements in the bottom sediments and alluvial soils of the Urkan River valley (one of the largest tributaries of the Zeya River, a tributary of the Amur River) have been examined. It is shown that the concentrations of the chemical elements in the bottom sediments generally correspond to those in the bedrocks composing the river catchment and in the upper part of the continental earth’s crust, though the accumulation of most of the elements in the bottom sediments is somewhat lower. The composition of the microelements in the alluvial soils is mainly determined by the composition of the microelements in the bottom sediments. The alluvial soils are somewhat enriched in Mn, Zn, Co, and Cu, which is related to the biological accumulation of these elements entering the trophic chains.