386 sampling sites covering the 30,532 km**2 of Polish Exclusive Economic Zone (Southern Baltic)

Mineralogical composition; Sediment grain size parameters; Sediment accumulation rate

Sediment grabs; in-situ particle sizers

During 1991-1993 cores of bottom sediments were taken at 368 stations in a regular grid (10x10 km). Muddy deposits from the top 0-6 cm layer were sliced into 1 cm and deposits from 6-20 cm depth into 2 cm samples, the samples of sands were taken from the top 0-5 cm layer. All samples were placed into airtight plastic boxes, frozen and stored at -20° C. For 498 samples, granulometric analysis was done and for 924 samples, chemical investigations comprised the determination of total organic carbon, Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sr, V, Zn for fraction <0.2 mm separated by nylon sieve. For 6 selected cores the rate of sedimentation was determined using the 210Pb method. All analyses were done in the Central Chemical Laboratory of the Polish Geological Institute. The accuracy of the analytic methods was checked a) by analyzing international reference samples and b) through interlaboratory comparisons carried out at the Warsaw University and the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Results of the analyses and measurements were stored in a database using the Fox-Pro system. Distribution of elements in 0-1 cm layer and vertical distribution in selected cores are presented in printed form in 18 monoelement geochemical maps on the background of bathymetry and granulomeric type of sediments. All information on maps was digitized using the PC ARC/INFO.

Polish Geological Institute, National Research Institute, Branch of Marine Geology
Koscierska 5
Gdansk
Pomorskie
80-328
Poland