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Article

Sediment Provenance and Distribution on the Northwest African Continental Shelf

by
Hasnaa Nait-Hammou
1,2,*,
Khalid El Khalidi
1,
Otmane Khalfaoui
3,
Ahmed Makaoui
2,
Melissa Chierici
4,
Chaimaa Jamal
5,
Mohammed Idrissi
2 and
Bendahhou Zourarah
1
1
LGMSS-URAC45, Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Chouaïb Doukkali University, Ben Maachou Road, El Jadida 24000, Morocco
2
Marine Physics and Biogeochemistry Laboratory, National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH), Bvd Sidi Abderraham 2, Casablanca 20300, Morocco
3
National Center for Energy, Sciences and Nuclear Techniques (CNESTEN), Rabat, Morocco
4
Institute of Marine Research, Tromsø, Norway
5
Laboratory of Analytical and Molecular Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences Ben M’Sik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Av Driss El Harti Sidi Othmane, Casablanca 20670, Morocco
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(3), 537; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13030537
Submission received: 18 February 2025 / Revised: 6 March 2025 / Accepted: 7 March 2025 / Published: 11 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Geological Oceanography)
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Abstract

This study analyzes the mineralogical and geochemical composition of 38 surface sediment samples from the northwest African continental shelf between Cap Boujdour (26.5° N) and Cap Blanc (20.5° N). Using a multiproxy approach, sediment characteristics were assessed through grain size, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and organic carbon (Corg) measurements, along with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for geochemical analysis. Bottom water properties, including temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, were measured at various stations using a Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensor. The results reveal that the inner shelf sediments are primarily mud, with high concentrations of terrigenous elements such as iron (Fe), silicon (Si), rubidium (Rb), and potassium (K), with Fe and Si concentrations ranging from 2.1 to 4.3 wt%. The middle and outer shelf sediments are dominated by biogenic carbonates, with CaCO3 levels approaching 65%, and elevated calcium (Ca) and strontium (Sr) content. These areas also exhibit the highest bottom water temperatures (up to 16 °C), salinity (36%), and moderate oxygen levels (2–4 mL/L). Slope sediments are enriched with mud and montmorillonite, and aeolian contributions are more pronounced south of Dakhla, as indicated by elevated quartz levels (up to 20%) and the presence of illite, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and iron oxide (Fe2O3). This study provides valuable new insights into sedimentary processes on the northwest African shelf, offering implications for regional environmental management and resource exploration.
Keywords: calcium carbonate; continental shelf; northwest Africa; organic carbon; Saharan dust; surface sediments; X-ray diffraction; X-ray fluorescence calcium carbonate; continental shelf; northwest Africa; organic carbon; Saharan dust; surface sediments; X-ray diffraction; X-ray fluorescence

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MDPI and ACS Style

Nait-Hammou, H.; El Khalidi, K.; Khalfaoui, O.; Makaoui, A.; Chierici, M.; Jamal, C.; Idrissi, M.; Zourarah, B. Sediment Provenance and Distribution on the Northwest African Continental Shelf. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13, 537. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13030537

AMA Style

Nait-Hammou H, El Khalidi K, Khalfaoui O, Makaoui A, Chierici M, Jamal C, Idrissi M, Zourarah B. Sediment Provenance and Distribution on the Northwest African Continental Shelf. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2025; 13(3):537. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13030537

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nait-Hammou, Hasnaa, Khalid El Khalidi, Otmane Khalfaoui, Ahmed Makaoui, Melissa Chierici, Chaimaa Jamal, Mohammed Idrissi, and Bendahhou Zourarah. 2025. "Sediment Provenance and Distribution on the Northwest African Continental Shelf" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 13, no. 3: 537. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13030537

APA Style

Nait-Hammou, H., El Khalidi, K., Khalfaoui, O., Makaoui, A., Chierici, M., Jamal, C., Idrissi, M., & Zourarah, B. (2025). Sediment Provenance and Distribution on the Northwest African Continental Shelf. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 13(3), 537. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13030537

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