minerals Article Geochemical Features of Redox-Sensitive Trace Metals in Sediments under Oxygen-Depleted Marine Environments Moei Yano 1,2, Kazutaka Yasukawa 1,2,3 , Kentaro Nakamura 3, Minoru Ikehara 4 and Yasuhiro Kato 1,2,3,5,* 1 Ocean Resources Research Center for Next Generation, Chiba Institute of Technology, 2-17-1 Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba 275-0016, Japan;
[email protected] (M.Y.);
[email protected] (K.Y.) 2 Frontier Research Center for Energy and Resources, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan 3 Department of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan;
[email protected] 4 Center for Advanced Marine Core Research, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan;
[email protected] 5 Submarine Resources Research Center, Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +81-3-5841-7022 Received: 13 September 2020; Accepted: 13 November 2020; Published: 17 November 2020 Abstract: Organic- and sulfide-rich sediments have formed in oxygen-depleted environments throughout Earth’s history. The fact that they are generally enriched in redox-sensitive elements reflects the sedimentary environment at the time of deposition. Although the modern ocean is well oxidized, oxygen depletion occurs in certain areas such as restricted basins and high-productivity zones.