The aims of the present study are to assess the normal variation limits of nine major chemical elements from the stream sediments of the Jijia river basin, as well as to explain the presence of any anomalous values. Statistical interpretation revealed that Al₂O₃, MgO, Na₂O and K₂O are normally distributed in the investigated sediments, while the Fe₂O₃contents follow a log-normal distribution. The rest of the components (SiO₂, TiO₂, MnO and CaOCaO) do not follow either normal or log-normal distributions, exhibiting anomalous values. The median values for the contents of most of the major components in the stream sediments from the Jijia river basin are close to both European and Romanian standards for stream sediments. The anomalous values recorded for certain components are determined either by lithological variations (in the case of SiO₂SiO2), or by the specific fauna of the Sarmatian deposits (in the case of CaO). The geochemical background, calculated through several methods, has indicated the following values for the geochemical threshold: 71.06% SiO₂, 0.94% TiO₂, 19.15% Al₂O₃, 7.29% Fe₂O₃, 0.165% MnO, 2.87% MgO, 10.77% CaO, 2.39% Na2O and 3.54% K₂O.
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stream sediment, major elements, geochemical background, threshold value, Jijia basin, Moldavian Plain