DISTRIBUTION OF THE RARE EARTH METALS CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SEDIMENTS OF ALGIERS BAY AND SURKOUF AREA

Abstract

Sediments were collected at 33 stations from Algiers Bay to determine potential sources of pollution. The analyses were made with Phillips X-ray fluorescence (XRF) equipment. The results give information about the level of concentrations for La, Ce, Er and Tb. Except for lanthanum and erbium which present a particular distribution (unrelated to the sedimentary facies), the distribution of the different rare earth metals is irregular and depends on the bay morphology. Terbium, erbium and cerium present high concentrations in the vases. The level of pollution by rare earth metals of the botton sediments in Algiers Bay has been shown to be significant compared with that of Surkouf, considered to be a region with low anthropogenic activity.