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

Laguna del Plata (Cordoba, Argentina) is a small saline lake connectedto Laguna Mar Chiquita. Its level fluctuations have changed notably throughthe centuries with both high level (HLP) and low level (LLP) periods. Theradionuclides 226 Ra and 210 Pb were analyzed in a core to determine datesand 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, Tband Yb were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Statisticalanalysis of elemental concentrations (cluster analysis) reflects the associationof the samples along the core according to the provenance of the sedimentsand if they had been deposited during HLP or LLP.