Environmental Significance of the Chemical Composition of Sediments in Groundwater‐Recharged Lakes of the Badain Jaran Desert, NW China

Researchers discovered that the chemical composition of sediments in groundwater-recharged lakes within the Badain Jaran Desert can serve as proxies for environmental characteristics. Specifically, the SiO2/Ti ratio reflects lake area, while the Na2O/K2O ratio more effectively indicates total dissolved solids (TDS) than the Rb/Sr ratio. The study analyzed 100 sediment samples from five lakes, examining major, trace, and rare earth elements, as well as mineral assemblages. Findings revealed that eolian sands dominate immobile elements, while authigenic minerals influence mobile ones, with sediment sorting contributing to spatial variations in chemical composition. However, the mechanisms governing sediment chemistry vary among lakes with different TDS levels, necessitating careful interpretation of environmental proxies.

Li, Z., Chen, Q., Zhang, C., Yu, Q., Dong, S., Zhao, L., & Wang, N. (2019). Environmental Significance of the Chemical Composition of Sediments in Groundwater‐Recharged Lakes of the Badain Jaran Desert, NW China. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 20(2), 1026–1040. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018gc007967