A new midshelf record in the northern Bay of Biscay (NE Atlantic, CBT-CS11 core): Sedimentological, geochemical and palynological data over the last 7 kyrs.

The high-time resolution (∼70 years in average) multi-proxy analysis conducted on the mid-shelf core CBT-CS11 (47°46.429'N; 4°25.308'W; 73 m depth; 3.96 m long; NW France, S Brittany) revealed the complexity of the palaeohydrological and palaeoclimatic signals recorded over the last 7 kyrs in the recently published paper: "Oceanic versus continental influences over the last 7 kyrs from a midshelf record in the northern Bay of Biscay (NE Atlantic)" [1]. This study presents the whole CBT-CS11 dataset discussed in [1] including sedimentological (XRF and grain-size (total from [1] and CaCO3-free from [2]) analyses), geochemical (oxygen and carbon stable isotopes on two different benthic foraminiferal species: Ammonia falsobeccarii from [1] and Cibicides refulgens from [2]) analyses) as well as palynological (dinoflagellate cyst and pollen assemblages from [1]) data. The present study also describes the different statistical tests from which ecological groups have been established from palynological indicators in [1].

Assessment of the metal contamination evolution in the Loire estuary using Cu and Zn stable isotopes and geochemical data in sediments.

In this work, a multi-elemental approach combining Cu and Zn stable isotopes is used to assess the metal contamination evolution in the Loire estuary bulk sediments. Elemental geochemical data indicate an increase of metal concentrations from the beginning of the industrial period peaking in the 1990s, followed by an attenuation of metal contamination inputs to the estuary. Zinc isotope compositions suggest a binary mixing process between Zn derived from terrigenous material and multi-urban anthropogenic sources. Copper isotope systematics indicate a single natural dominant source represented by weathered silicate particles from soils and rocks. This work demonstrates the applicability of Zn isotopes to identify anthropogenic Zn sources in coastal systems, even under a low to moderate degree of contamination. Further studies are required to constrain Cu sources and to elucidate possible effects of grain-size and mineralogy in the Cu isotope composition of sediment in the Loire estuary.