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A High–Resolution Accumulation Record of Arsenic and Mercury after the First Industrial Revolution from a Peatland in Zoige, Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10111241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The impacts of human activities on Zoige peatlands are poorly documented. We determined the concentrations and accumulation rates of As and Hg in a 210Pb-dated peat profile collected from this area and analyzed the correlations between accumulation rates of both As and Hg and other physicochemical properties. To reconstruct recent conditions of As and Hg, we analyzed peat sediments of Re’er Dam peatland in Zoige using 210Pb and 137Cs dating technologies. The concentrations of total As (86.38 to 174.21 μg kg−1) and Hg (7.30 to 32.13 μg kg−1) in the peat profile clearly increased after the first industrial revolution. From AD 1824 to AD 2010, the average accumulation rates were 129.77 μg m−2 yr−1 for As and 18.24 μg m−2 yr−1 for Hg. Based on our results, anthropogenic emissions significantly affected the atmospheric fluxes of As and Hg throughout the past 200 years, and As was also likely to be affected by other factors than atmospheric deposition, which needs further identification by future studies. The historical variations in As and Hg concentrations in Re’er Dam peatland in Zoige mirror the industrial development of China.
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Pratte S, Bao K, Shen J, De Vleeschouwer F, Le Roux G. Centennial records of cadmium and lead in NE China lake sediments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 657:548-557. [PMID: 30550917 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Cores (15 to 40 cm of depth) were collected from 11 lakes of the Songnen Plain in northeastern China to reconstruct changes in potentially harmful trace element (PHTE) inputs as tracers of human activities. In each profile, most PHTE enrichment factors do not differ significantly from the pre-industrial values (EF < 1.5), except for Cd (EF = 2-5.5). This shows that detrital material accounts for a large part of the PHTE supply to the Songnen Plain lakes. Radiometric dating of the cores (210Pb, 137Cs) showed that Cd contamination started from the mid-20th century and sharply increased in the 1980s', a pattern that matches the rapid economic and industrial growth of China. Comparison with other records in China suggests that a large part of the anthropogenic Cd in these lakes is likely local in origin. Although the Cd inputs, controlled by carbonate minerals, probably originated from a combination of sources, an intensification in agricultural practices, through the use of chemical fertilizers, manure and wastewater would explain these discrepancies between records. These findings highlight the importance of local factors on the Cd geochemical cycle in China. The large anthropogenic component of the Cd inventory compared to other PHTEs (Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, V, Zn) and its high toxicity indicate that it should be prioritized in future environmental management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Pratte
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Kunshan Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Ji Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - François De Vleeschouwer
- EcoLab - Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, 31000 Toulouse, France
| | - Gaël Le Roux
- EcoLab - Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, 31000 Toulouse, France
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Mikkonen HG, van de Graaff R, Clarke BO, Dasika R, Wallis CJ, Reichman SM. Geochemical indices and regression tree models for estimation of ambient background concentrations of copper, chromium, nickel and zinc in soil. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 210:193-203. [PMID: 30005340 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.06.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Geochemical ratios between elements of environmental concern and Fe have been recommended for estimation of "background" concentrations of Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn in soil. However, little research has occurred to assess the consistency of geochemical ratios across soils developed in different environments. Broad application of generic geochemical ratios could result in under or over estimation of anthropogenic impacts to soil and subsequent inaccurate assessment of risk to the environment. A soil survey was undertaken in Victoria, Australia, including collection of samples (n = 622) from surface (0-0.1 m below ground level) and sub-surface (0.3-0.6 m below ground level) soils, overlying Tertiary-Quaternary basalt, Tertiary sediments and Silurian siltstones and sandstones. Samples were analyzed for metals and soil physical and chemical properties (particle size, cation exchange capacity, organic matter and pH). Geochemical correlations between elements in soils from different parent materials and environments were compared against geochemical relationships reported in Australia and internationally. Ratios of Cr and Fe were relatively consistent across parent materials, and comparable to published models for estimation of background Cr. Conversely, ratios between Cu, Ni, and Zn with Fe, were variable between soils developed in different weathering environments and/or soil depths. Alternative regression equations and rule based regression tree models were developed as an improved means for prediction of ambient background Cu, Ni and Zn concentrations in soil. Ambient background concentrations of Ni and Cr were predictable across parent materials and depths, allowing these models to be extended to soils across Australia and potentially internationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah G Mikkonen
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia; Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, RMIT University, Victoria, Australia; CDM Smith, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Bradley O Clarke
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, RMIT University, Victoria, Australia; School of Science, RMIT University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Raghava Dasika
- Australian Contaminated Land Consultants Association, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Suzie M Reichman
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia; Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, RMIT University, Victoria, Australia.
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Marx SK, Rashid S, Stromsoe N. Global-scale patterns in anthropogenic Pb contamination reconstructed from natural archives. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2016; 213:283-298. [PMID: 26924757 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
During the past two centuries metal loads in the Earth's atmosphere and ecosystems have increased significantly over pre-industrial levels. This has been associated with deleterious effects to ecosystem processes and human health. The magnitude of this toxic metal burden, as well as the spatial and temporal patterns of metal enrichment, is recorded in sedimentary archives across the globe. This paper presents a compilation of selected Pb contamination records from lakes (n = 10), peat mires (n = 10) and ice fields (n = 7) from Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and the Northern and Southern Hemisphere polar regions. These records quantify changes in Pb enrichment in remote from source environments. The presence of anthropogenic Pb in the environment has a long history, extending as far back as the early to mid-Holocene in North America, Europe and East Asia. However, results show that Pb contamination in the Earth's environment became globally ubiquitous at the beginning of the Second Industrial Revolution (c.1850-1890 CE), after which the magnitude of Pb contamination increased significantly. This date therefore serves as an effective global marker for the onset of the Anthropocene. Current global average Pb enrichment rates are between 6 and 35 times background, however Pb contamination loads are spatially variable. For example, they are >100 times background in Europe and North America and 5-15 times background in Antarctica. Despite a recent decline in Pb loads in some regions, most notably Europe and North America, anthropogenic Pb remains highly enriched and universally present in global ecosystems, while concentrations are increasing in some regions (Australia, Asia and parts of South America and Antarctica). There is, however, a paucity of Pb enrichment records outside of Europe, which limits assessments of global contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K Marx
- GeoQuEST Research Centre, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
| | - Shaqer Rashid
- GeoQuEST Research Centre, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Nicola Stromsoe
- Climate Research Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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Snow MS, Snyder DC, Clark SB, Kelley M, Delmore JE. 137Cs activities and 135Cs/137Cs isotopic ratios from soils at Idaho National Laboratory: a case study for contaminant source attribution in the vicinity of nuclear facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:2741-2748. [PMID: 25633972 DOI: 10.1021/es5058852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Radiometric and mass spectrometric analyses of Cs contamination in the environment can reveal the location of Cs emission sources, release mechanisms, modes of transport, prediction of future contamination migration, and attribution of contamination to specific generator(s) and/or process(es). The Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) represents a complicated case study for demonstrating the current capabilities and limitations to environmental Cs analyses. (137)Cs distribution patterns, (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios, known Cs chemistry at this site, and historical records enable narrowing the list of possible emission sources and release events to a single source and event, with the SDA identified as the emission source and flood transport of material from within Pit 9 and Trench 48 as the primary release event. These data combined allow refining the possible number of waste generators from dozens to a single generator, with INL on-site research and reactor programs identified as the most likely waste generator. A discussion on the ultimate limitations to the information that (135)Cs/(137)Cs ratios alone can provide is presented and includes (1) uncertainties in the exact date of the fission event and (2) possibility of mixing between different Cs source terms (including nuclear weapons fallout and a source of interest).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew S Snow
- Department of Chemistry, Washington State University PO Box 644630, Pullman, Washington 99164-4630, United States
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Stromsoe N, Marx SK, McGowan HA, Callow N, Heijnis H, Zawadzki A. A landscape-scale approach to examining the fate of atmospherically derived industrial metals in the surficial environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 505:962-980. [PMID: 25461097 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.10.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Industrial metals are now ubiquitous within the atmosphere and their deposition represents a potential source of contamination to surficial environments. Few studies, however, have examined the environmental fate of atmospheric industrial metals within different surface environments. In this study, patterns of accumulation of atmospherically transported industrial metals were investigated within the surface environments of the Snowy Mountains, Australia. Metals, including Pb, Sb, Cr and Mo, were enriched in aerosols collected in the Snowy Mountains by 3.5-50 times pre-industrial concentrations. In sedimentary environments (soils, lakes and reservoirs) metals showed varying degrees of enrichment. Differences were attributed to the relative degree of atmospheric input, metal sensitivity to enrichment, catchment area and metal behaviour following deposition. In settings where atmospheric deposition dominated (ombrotrophic peat mires in the upper parts of catchments), metal enrichment patterns most closely resembled those in collected aerosols. However, even in these environments significant dilution (by 5-7 times) occurred. The most sensitive industrial metals (those with the lowest natural concentration; Cd, Ag, Sb and Mo) were enriched throughout the studied environments. However, in alpine tarn-lakes no other metals were enriched, due to the dilution of pollutant-metals by catchment derived sediment. In reservoirs, which were located lower within catchments, industrial metals exhibited more complex patterns. Particle reactive metals (e.g. Pb) displayed little enrichment, implying that they were retained up catchment, whereas more soluble metals (e.g., Cu and Zn) showed evidence of concentration. These same metals (Cu and Zn) were depleted in soils, implying that they are preferentially transported through catchments. Enrichment of other metals (e.g. Cd) varied between reservoirs as a function of contributing catchment area. Overall this study showed that the fate of atmospherically derived metals is complex, and depends upon metal behaviour and geomorphic processes operating at landscape scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Stromsoe
- Climate Research Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Samuel K Marx
- GeoQuEST Research Centre, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Wollongong Isotope Geochronology Laboratory, School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Hamish A McGowan
- Climate Research Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Nikolaus Callow
- Environmental Dynamics and Ecohydrology, School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Henk Heijnis
- Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Sydney, Lucas Heights, New South Wales 2234, Australia
| | - Atun Zawadzki
- Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Sydney, Lucas Heights, New South Wales 2234, Australia
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