Multielemental determination by instrumental neutron activation analysis and recent sedimentation rates using 210Pb dating method at Laguna del Plata, Cordoba, Argentina

Laguna del Plata (Cordoba, Argentina) is a small saline lake connected to Laguna Mar Chiquita. Its level fluctuations have changed notably through the centuries with both high level (HLP) and low level (LLP) periods. The radionuclides 226Ra and 210Pb were analyzed in a core to determine dates and sedimentation rates. The elements As, Ba, Br, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hf, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Ta, Th, U, Zn, Zr and rare earth Ce, Eu, La, Lu, Nd, Sm, Tb and Yb were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Statistical analysis of elemental concentrations (cluster analysis) reflects the association of the samples along the core according to the provenance of the sediments and if they had been deposited during HLP or LLP. (author)