Geochemical records of paleocontamination in late pleistocene lake sediments in West Flanders (Belgium)

ABSTRACT Concentrations of trace elements in Late Pleistocene lake sediments from two localities in West Flanders (Belgium) were studied using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The studied sediments were deposited during the transition of the Allerød to the Younger Dryas. Trace elements enter lake environments from a variety of sources, but mostly from bedrock weathering in catchments and as wind-blown dust particles. These sources create a natural trace element background in lake sediment records. The concentration and distribution of trace elements across the studied lake sediment sequences display features consistent with inputs of materials other than those from soil or bedrock. Input from volcanic eruptions, biomass burning and meteorite impacts should be considered among the main sources of non-anthropogenic contamination of lake environments.