title: Geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements in the surface sediments from the Spratly Islands of China.
abstract: The geochemistry of rare earth elements (REE) in surface sediment from Cuarteron reef (N1), Johnson reef (N2), Hugh reef (N3), Gaven reef (N4), Fiery cross reef (N5), and Subi reef (N6) were firstly studied. The total REE abundance (∑REE) varied from 2.244μg·g-1to 21.661μg·g-1, with an average of 4.667μg·g-1. The LREE/HREE was from 2.747 to 9.869, with an average of 3.687, which indicated that the light REE was evidently enriched. Fractionation was observed between LREE and HREE. Gd with a negative anomaly was also detected in all of the stations. The negative anomalies of δEu from 0.11 to 0.25, with an average of 0.22, and the positive anomalies of δCe from 1.38 to 3.86, with an average of 1.63. The REE individual correlation values with Ca, Mn, Mg, Sr were rCa=-0.05, rMn=0.26, rMg=-0.14, and rSr=0.08.
authors.affiliation: Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, Shandong 266061, China. Electronic address: jxli@fio.org.cn.
authors.forename: Jingxi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, Shandong 266061, China; Laboratory of Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Chengjun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, Shandong 266061, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, Shandong 266061, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, Shandong 266061, China.
authors.forename: Junhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Marine Ecology Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, Shandong 266061, China.
authors.forename: Fenghua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D057894:Coral Reefs; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008674:Metals, Rare Earth
keywords: Distribution patterns; Geochemistry of REE; REE fractionation; Spratly Islands REE