Diagenetic control on arsenic partitioning in sediments of the Meghna River delta, Bangladesh

A stratigraphic profile of solid phase As was measured to investigate the diagenetic cycling of arsenic and related elements in fluvial sediments of the Meghna River delta plain. The distributions of Fe, Mn, and Al are typically characterized by surficial solid phase enrichment, and As is distributed down to 36.6 m showing similar alternate layers of maxima and minima with Fe, Mn and TOC, which reflects the diagenetic remobilization and periodical differences in source materials of As. Lithological characteristics and geochemical data suggest that elevated levels of As are found in organic-matter-rich clay and silty sand rather than sand samples, with occasionally enriched As content in iron-oxyhydroxide-coated sand grains. Arsenic demonstrates a positive and significant covariation with total organic carbon in sediments, which suggests the important role of particulate and colloidal organic matter and. biological activity in controlling the distribution of arsenic in the Bengal delta. However, the concentrations of Fe and Mn weakly correlate with As contents, whereas Al contents show no relationship with As. The results of this study suggest that reactive oxides or hydroxides of Fe and Mn, rather than Fe and Mn with other minerals, might control arsenic distribution.