Elemental geochemistry provides an effective tool for reconstructing sediment provenance and tracing the evolution of coastal depositional systems. This study investigates the geochemical composition of relict sands, Holocene beach-ridge deposits and modern beach sediments along the Emilia-Romagna coast (Northern Adriatic Sea) using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses and selected elemental ratios. Among the investigated proxies, Mnnormalized ratios (Rb/Mn, Cr/Mn, V/Mn and Y/Mn) consistently discriminate the different sedimentary archives and define a progressive compositional gradient related to coastal evolution. Relict sands exhibit a distinct geochemical fingerprint characterized by low Mn and high Mg-related signatures, indicating deposition under a sediment-routing configuration before the establishment of the modern Po-dominated littoral system. From the oldest Holocene beach-ridge deposits onwards, elemental ratios record the progressive increase in the contribution of Po-derived sediments, in agreement with the post-glacial reorganization of sediment pathways reconstructed for the northern Adriatic coastal plain. The chronological succession of Holocene cuspate beach-ridge systems reveals systematic temporal variations in elemental ratios, indicating that these proxies record provenance changes associated with coastal progradation.In contrast, modern beach sediments collected after extensive nourishment campaigns depart from the natural Holocene geochemical trend, shifting towards the signature of offshore relict sands used as nourishment material. These results indicate that elemental ratios derived from routine XRF analyses provide useful tracers not only for reconstructing long-term sediment-routing evolution and coastal provenance, but also for detecting anthropogenic sediment redistribution and geochemical overprinting associated with beach nourishment.
Greggio, N., Giambastiani, B.M.S., Moretti, G., Valenti, J., Dinelli, E. (2027). Geochemical fingerprints of modern and relict sands along the Northern Adriatic coast: tracing natural processes and anthropogenic sediment redistribution. PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF THE EARTH, 145, 1-17 [10.1016/j.pce.2026.104905].
Geochemical fingerprints of modern and relict sands along the Northern Adriatic coast: tracing natural processes and anthropogenic sediment redistribution
Greggio N.Primo
;Giambastiani B. M. S.
Secondo
;Moretti G.;Dinelli E.
2027
Abstract
Elemental geochemistry provides an effective tool for reconstructing sediment provenance and tracing the evolution of coastal depositional systems. This study investigates the geochemical composition of relict sands, Holocene beach-ridge deposits and modern beach sediments along the Emilia-Romagna coast (Northern Adriatic Sea) using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses and selected elemental ratios. Among the investigated proxies, Mnnormalized ratios (Rb/Mn, Cr/Mn, V/Mn and Y/Mn) consistently discriminate the different sedimentary archives and define a progressive compositional gradient related to coastal evolution. Relict sands exhibit a distinct geochemical fingerprint characterized by low Mn and high Mg-related signatures, indicating deposition under a sediment-routing configuration before the establishment of the modern Po-dominated littoral system. From the oldest Holocene beach-ridge deposits onwards, elemental ratios record the progressive increase in the contribution of Po-derived sediments, in agreement with the post-glacial reorganization of sediment pathways reconstructed for the northern Adriatic coastal plain. The chronological succession of Holocene cuspate beach-ridge systems reveals systematic temporal variations in elemental ratios, indicating that these proxies record provenance changes associated with coastal progradation.In contrast, modern beach sediments collected after extensive nourishment campaigns depart from the natural Holocene geochemical trend, shifting towards the signature of offshore relict sands used as nourishment material. These results indicate that elemental ratios derived from routine XRF analyses provide useful tracers not only for reconstructing long-term sediment-routing evolution and coastal provenance, but also for detecting anthropogenic sediment redistribution and geochemical overprinting associated with beach nourishment.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
