Geochemical characterization of recent Nile Delta inner shelf sediments: Tracing natural and human-induced alterations into a deltaic system

Abstract The present study deals with the geochemical changes observed along Nile Delta inner shelf sediments over a period of 20 years (1995–2015). Major, minor, and trace constituents as well as rare earth elements (REE) were investigated in the surface sediments collected from seven transects along the inner shelf on five years intervals. Geochemical composition of sediments in Nile Delta inner shelf exhibits continuous changes over time due to the depositional and sediment transport processes. The sediments are generally enriched with Fe and Ti oxides, as well as Ta, Nb, Y in comparison to the Upper Continental Crust (UCC). These alterations signify the impact of processes such as erosion and sediment transport, as well as the impact of anthropogenic interferences such as damming the Nile River Flow. The reduction of the sediment input from the Nile River has somehow altered the geochemical signature of the inner shelf sediments. The REE patterns indicate weathering in areas subjected to erosion, while trace elements and major oxides spatial and temporal distributions concentrate eastwards under the influence of the easterly sediment transport pattern. Nile Delta inner shelf presented a typical case for understanding the link between geochemistry and sedimentary processes in nearshore and deltaic systems.