Premium
Anthropogenic lead isotopes in Antarctica
Author(s) -
Rosman K. J. R.,
Chisholm W.,
Boutron C. F.,
Candelone J.P.,
Patterson C. C.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/94gl02603
Subject(s) - radiogenic nuclide , snow , geology , lead (geology) , isotope , oceanography , dome (geology) , environmental science , earth science , geochemistry , geomorphology , mantle (geology) , physics , quantum mechanics
We report the first measurements of Pb isotopes in Antarctic snow, which show that even recent snow containing 2.3 pg/g is highly polluted with anthropogenic Pb. This follows from a comparison of isotope abundances of Pb in surface snow and terrestrial dust extracted from ancient Antarctic ice (Dome C, depth 308 m, approximate age 7,500 a BP), the latter being distinctly more radiogenic. This result is independent of geochemical arguments based on measurements of Al, Na and SO 4 . South America is suggested as a likely source of this anthropogenic Pb. The presence of significantly less radiogenic Pb in the snow adjacent to two Antarctic base stations indicates that there is contamination from station emissions, although emission from Australia is an alternative explanation for a site 33 km from Dumont d'Urville.