198 / 2024-03-12 21:49:21

Proximate and Palynological analysis of peat deposits of Bagia-Chanda Beel, Gopalganj, Bangladesh

Proximate analysis; Palynology; Paleoenvironments of deposition; Bagia-Chanda Beel.

Holocene peat sediments' proximate and palynological analysis can significantly evaluate the quality of peats and the area's source, paleovegetation, and paleoclimate. The present research work presents a detailed study of proximate and palynological analysis to evaluate peat deposition's fuel characteristics and paleoenvironments in the Bagia-Chanda Beel. Samples were collected from 3 different cross-sections in the study area and prepared to be analyzed at Kalyani University in India. The proximate analysis of peat shows fixed carbon (20.3% to 22.5%), medium to high quantity of moisture (24.6% to 26.9%), high amount of volatile matter (31.7% to 37.697%) and medium amount of ash (17.6% to 18.7%). The palynological analysis of peat provides the scenario of vegetation and climatic conditions during deposition. Most of the retrieved palynomorphs grow in the present-day tropical to sub-tropical conditions. Hence, the study reveals that the area was under generally warm, humid climatic conditions at deposition. Presence of brackish water mangrove plant pollen grains viz., Rhizophora sp. Bruguiera sp., Avicennia sp., Ceriops sp., and shallow marine microforaminifera have been noted in the palynoassemblage, suggesting remains of estuarine intertidal mangrove vegetation with marine influence. A high precipitation rate is suggested by the recovery of fern and fungal spores in good numbers. This Holocene peat has an average of 59.10% carbon stock. Nitrogen levels of more than 3% indicate that the peat developed from the decomposition of reeds, sedges, bushes, and trunks of trees (higher in nitrogen) rather than moss or grass (lower in nitrogen). Higher sulfur content (about 2.7%) reflected the influence of brackish environments where the formation of FeS2 took place in the roots of existing vegetation. Due to excessive natural gas and coal demands in Bangladesh's rapidly growing industrial sectors, these low-grade fossil fuels might be helpful as an alternative energy resource.