Incorporation of radiometric tracers in peat and implications for estimating accumulation rates

Vertical distribution characteristics of soil mercury and its formation mechanism in permafrost regions: A case study of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Continuing permafrost degradation is increasing the risk of mercury (Hg) exposure in the permafrost regions on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), but related studies are still limited, especially the ones on the detailed Hg migration processes in permafrost. The vertical distribution characteristics of soil Hg were investigated in three ecosystems in the Beiluhe area on the QTP, and its influencing factors and formation mechanism were investigated. The results indicate that the total soil mercury (THg) concentration in the Beiluhe area remains at an extremely low level (6.33 ± 2.45 ng/g). In the vertical profile, the THg concentration of the shallow soil layer (0-50 cm) (5.96 ± 2.22 ng/g) is significantly lower than that of the deep layer (50-400 cm) (7.44 ± 2.71 ng/g) (p < 0.05). Within the upper 50 cm, the THg concentration decreases with soil depth, and the peak THg concentration occurs at 100-300 cm on the entire profile. Although the THg concentration is slightly affected by the organic matter in the shallow soil layer, in general, the soil parent material is the dominant factor affecting the THg concentration. Intense weathering results in a low THg concentration in the shallow soil layer because the soil Hg is carried downward with the soil moisture. To a certain depth, the impermeable frozen soil layer intercepts the flow of the soil Hg, and it forms a Hg enrichment layer. This paper presents the distinctive pattern of the soil Hg distribution in the permafrost regions of the QTP.

A High–Resolution Accumulation Record of Arsenic and Mercury after the First Industrial Revolution from a Peatland in Zoige, Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

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.

Atmospheric fallout of radionuclides in peat bogs in the Western Segment of the Russian Arctic

This article presents the results of studies of the activity of radionuclides in peat-bog profiles of the European subarctic of Russia. Two peat profiles were collected in different areas of the Arkhangelsk region. The peat cores were used to determine ²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs, ²⁴¹Am, ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴⁰Pu, ²³⁸U, and ²³⁴U content. To estimate the relationship between radionuclide activity and physicochemical parameters of peat, the content of organic matter, water-soluble salts, carbonates and ash, and the pH of aqueous and salt extracts were studied. Radionuclide activity concentrations in peat samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), low-background semiconductor gamma spectrometry with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, and alpha spectrometry. The ²¹⁰Pb chronology of peat cores was studied using a constant flow model based on the Monte Carlo simulation method. Comparison of ²¹⁰Pb dating data showed that the position of the maximum activity peaks of anthropogenic radionuclides shifted along the peat profile. This is probably due to the relative mobility of different radionuclides in the peat massif. Measurement of the atomic ratio ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu showed that the main sources of pollution in the peatlands of the European subarctic of Russia are global fallout from atmospheric tests from the 1950s through 1980 and fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. This study shows that a complex of radioactive isotopes in peat deposits can provide valuable information on the environmental pollution loads of subarctic territories.

Contrasting tree ring Hg records in two conifer species: Multi-site evidence of species-specific radial translocation effects in Scots pine versus European larch

Tree ring records are increasingly being used as a geochemical archive of past atmospheric mercury (Hg) pollution. However, it is not clear whether all tree species can be used reliably for this purpose. We compared tree-ring Hg records of two coniferous species - widely used Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and less frequently used European larch (Larix decidua) at 6 study sites across the Czech Republic. Site-specific mean Hg concentrations in tree-ring segments of larch ranged from 2.1 to 5.2 μg kg^-1, whereas pine had higher mean Hg concentrations (3.6-8.3 μg kg^-1). Temporal records of Hg concentrations in tree rings of larch and pine differed significantly. Comparisons with previously documented peat Hg records showed that larch tree-ring Hg records more closely agreed with peat archive records. For pines, which had a large, tree-age dependent number of sapwood rings (62 ± 17, 1SD), we found a strong relationship between the year of peak Hg and the number of sapwood tree rings (p = 0.012, r² = 0.35), as well as between peak Hg year and the sapwood-heartwood boundary year (p < 0.001, r² = 0.65), rather than with temporal changes in atmospheric Hg levels. The much greater number of pine sapwood tree rings appears to promote radial Hg translocation, resulting in the shift of Hg peaks backward in time through the tree-ring record. In contrast, Larch consistently had a low number of sapwood tree rings (19 ± 6, 1SD), and more closely agreed with peat Hg records. This study suggests that European larch, a tree species characterized by a relatively low and consistent number of sapwood tree rings, records changes in atmospheric Hg concentrations more reliably than does Scots pine, a species with a relatively high and variable number of sapwood tree rings.

Environmental archives of atmospheric Hg deposition - A review

Environmental archives offer an opportunity to reconstruct temporal trends in atmospheric Hg deposition at various timescales. Lake sediment and peat have been the most widely used archives; however, new records from ice, tree rings, and the measurement of Hg stable isotopes, are offering new insights into past Hg cycling. Preindustrial Hg deposition has been studied over decadal to millennial timescales extending as far back as the late Pleistocene. Exploitation of mercury deposits (mainly cinnabar) first began during the mid to late Holocene in South America, Europe, and Asia, but increased dramatically during the Colonial era (1532-1900) for silver production. However, evidence for preindustrial Hg pollution is restricted to regions directly downwind or downstream of cinnabar or precious metal mining centers. Excluding these areas, there has been an approximately four-fold increase in atmospheric deposition globally over the industrial era (i.e., since 1800-1850), though regional differences exist, especially during the early 20th Century. Lake sediments, peat, ice, and tree rings are all influenced by (and integrate) a range of processes. For example, lake sediments are influenced by atmospheric deposition, sediment focusing, and the input of allochthonous material from the watershed, peat records reflect atmospheric deposition and biotic uptake, ice cores are a record of Hg scrubbed during precipitation, and tree rings record atmospheric concentrations. No archive represents an absolute record of past Hg deposition or concentrations, and post-depositional transformation of Hg profiles remains an important topic of research. However, natural archives continue to provide important insight into atmospheric Hg cycling over various timescales.

Mercury and arsenic in the surface peat soils of the Changbai Mountains, northeastern China: distribution, environmental controls, sources, and ecological risk assessment

The potential toxic risk of mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in the soils of mining regions and other artificially disturbed lands receives considerable research attention. However, limited investigation has been conducted into the surface soils of natural globally distributed ecosystems, for example peatlands. In this study, we examine the distribution, controlling factors, sources, and potential ecological risks of Hg and As in 96 samples from 42 peatlands in the Changbai Mountains of northeastern China. The results showed that average concentrations (dry weight) of Hg and As at the samples sites were 169.1 ± 0.1 µg kg^-1 and 13.0 ± 7.7 mg kg^-1, respectively. The distribution of Hg is largely determined by latitude and altitude, while As is controlled more by pH, total organic carbon (TOC), and ratio of TOC and nitrogen (C/N) at the regional scale. Variations in TOC, C/N ratio, and redox conditions contribute to determining the distribution of Hg, while TOC and redox conditions mainly affected the distribution of Arsenic at the local scale. Mercury mostly comes from regional atmospheric wet deposition, whereas elevated concentrations of As are related to local anthropogenic activities. Overall, Hg and As in the peatlands of the Changbai Mountains pose a moderate level of potential risk to ecological health.

Boreal Forests Sequester Large Amounts of Mercury over Millennial Time Scales in the Absence of Wildfire

Alterations in fire activity due to climate change and fire suppression may have profound effects on the balance between storage and release of carbon (C) and associated volatile elements. Stored soil mercury (Hg) is known to volatilize due to wildfires and this could substantially affect the land-air exchange of Hg; conversely the absence of fires and human disturbance may increase the time period over which Hg is sequestered. Here we show for a wildfire chronosequence spanning over more than 5000 years in boreal forest in northern Sweden that belowground inventories of total Hg are strongly related to soil humus C accumulation (R² = 0.94, p < 0.001). Our data clearly show that northern boreal forest soils have a strong sink capacity for Hg, and indicate that the sequestered Hg is bound in soil organic matter pools accumulating over millennia. Our results also suggest that more than half of the Hg stock in the sites with the longest time since fire originates from deposition predating the onset of large-scale anthropogenic emissions. This study emphasizes the importance of boreal forest humus soils for Hg storage and reveals that this pool is likely to persist over millennial time scales in the prolonged absence of fire.

Atmospheric Mercury Transfer to Peat Bogs Dominated by Gaseous Elemental Mercury Dry Deposition

Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is the dominant form of mercury in the atmosphere. Its conversion into oxidized gaseous and particulate forms is thought to drive atmospheric mercury wet deposition to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, where it can be subsequently transformed into toxic methylmercury. The contribution of mercury dry deposition is however largely unconstrained. Here we examine mercury mass balance and mercury stable isotope composition in a peat bog ecosystem. We find that isotope signatures of living sphagnum moss (Δ(199)Hg = -0.11 ± 0.09‰, Δ(200)Hg = 0.03 ± 0.02‰, 1σ) and recently accumulated peat (Δ(199)Hg = -0.22 ± 0.06‰, Δ(200)Hg = 0.00 ± 0.04‰, 1σ) are characteristic of GEM (Δ(199)Hg = -0.17 ± 0.07‰, Δ(200)Hg = -0.05 ± 0.02‰, 1σ), and differs from wet deposition (Δ(199)Hg = 0.73 ± 0.15‰, Δ(200)Hg = 0.21 ± 0.04‰, 1σ). Sphagnum covered during three years by transparent and opaque surfaces, which eliminate wet deposition, continue to accumulate Hg. Sphagnum Hg isotope signatures indicate accumulation to take place by GEM dry deposition, and indicate little photochemical re-emission. We estimate that atmospheric mercury deposition to the peat bog surface is dominated by GEM dry deposition (79%) rather than wet deposition (21%). Consequently, peat deposits are potential records of past atmospheric GEM concentrations and isotopic composition.

Vertical Distribution of Lead and Mercury in the Wetland Argialbolls of the Sanjiang Plain in Northeastern China

The wetland Argialbolls pedon was chosen to investigate the effects of pedogenic processes and anthropogenic activities on the vertical distribution of lead and mercury concentration and to assess the potential use of soil as an archive of atmospheric Pb and Hg pollution. The soil was sampled from 5 cm from the surface to a depth of 90 cm at two locations in the Sanjiang Plain in northeastern China. The soil was analyzed for pH, soil organic matter (SOM), Fe, Mn, and Al. The results indicate that the SOM concentration gradually decreased with depth, while Fe and Mn were reductively leached from the upper horizons and accumulated significantly in the lower argillic horizons. Atmospheric Pb and Hg deposition and their redistribution during the pedogenic process led to a unique vertical distribution in the wetland Argialbolls. Overall, Pb was leached from the upper horizons and then accumulated in the lower argillic horizons. However, the Hg concentration decreased with depth, following the SOM distribution. The Pb concentration was significantly correlated to the Fe and Mn concentrations in the Argialbolls profiles, while the Hg concentration was significantly correlated with SOM. Post-depositional mobility along the wetland Argialbolls profile is higher for Pb and low for Hg. Therefore, the Argialbolls profile does not provide an accurate reconstruction of atmospheric Pb deposition, but might provide an accurate reconstruction of net atmospheric Hg deposition.

Downwash of atmospherically deposited trace metals in peat and the influence of rainfall intensity: an experimental test

Accumulation records of pollutant metals in peat have been frequently used to reconstruct past atmospheric deposition rates. While there is good support for peat as a record of relative changes in metal deposition over time, questions remain whether peat archives represent a quantitative or a qualitative record. Several processes can potentially influence the quantitative record of which downwashing is particularly pertinent as it would have a direct influence on how and where atmospherically deposited metals are accumulated in peat. The aim of our study was two-fold: first, to compare and contrast the retention of dissolved Pb, Cu, Zn and Ni in peat cores; and second, to test the influence of different precipitation intensities on the potential downwashing of metals. We applied four 'rainfall' treatments to 13 peat cores over a 3-week period, including both daily (2 or 5.3 mm day(-1)) and event-based additions (37 mm day(-1), added over 1h or over a 10h rain event). Two main trends were apparent: 1) there was a difference in retention of the added dissolved metals in the surface layer (0-2 cm): 21-85% for Pb, 18-63% for Cu, 10-25% for Zn and 10-20% for Ni. 2) For all metals and both peat types (sphagnum lawn and fen), the addition treatments resulted in different downwashing depths, i.e., as the precipitation-addition increased so did the depth at which added metals could be detected. Although the largest fraction of Pb and Cu was retained in the surface layer and the remainder effectively immobilized in the upper peat (≤ 10 cm), there was a smearing effect on the overall retention, where precipitation intensity exerts an influence on the vertical distribution of added trace metals. These results indicate that the relative position of a deposition signal in peat records would be preserved, but it would be quantitatively attenuated.