Data from the Chemical Analysis of Archived Stream-Sediment Samples, Alaska

This data release contains the elemental concentration data for more than 1700 archived stream-sediment samples collected in Alaska. Samples were retrieved from the USGS Mineral Program's sample archive in Denver, CO, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Geologic Materials Center in Anchorage, AK. All samples were analyzed using a multi-element analytical method involving fusion of the sample by sodium peroxide, dissolution of the fusion cake by nitric acid, and elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Additionally, 106 samples from the Nixon Fork area were analyzed by a second multi-element method in which the samples are decomposed by a mixture of hydrochloric, nitric, perchloric, and hydrofluoric acids and the elemental composition is determined by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. New Hg (mercury) concentrations, determined by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry, are reported for 296 samples from southeast Alaska.本数据集发布了采集自阿拉斯加的1700余份存档河流沉积物样品的元素浓度数据。所有样品均取自两处馆藏：美国地质调查局（USGS）矿产项目位于科罗拉多州丹佛市的样品库，以及阿拉斯加地质与地球物理调查局地质材料中心位于阿拉斯加州安克雷奇市的样品库。所有样品均采用多元素分析方法进行检测：以过氧化钠熔融样品，经硝酸浸融熔块后，通过电感耦合等离子体光发射光谱法（ICP-OES）与电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）完成元素定量分析。此外，针对尼克松福克地区的106份样品，采用第二种多元素分析方法开展检测：以盐酸、硝酸、高氯酸与氢氟酸的混合体系消解样品，再通过ICP-OES与ICP-MS测定其元素组成。另有296份采自阿拉斯加东南部的样品，通过冷蒸气原子吸收光谱法测得汞（Hg）浓度，相关数据亦纳入本次数据集发布。