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Sources of lead in a Tibetan glacier since the Stone Age

Earth Sciences

Sources of lead in a Tibetan glacier since the Stone Age

M. R. Sierra-hernández, F. Marcantonio, et al.

This fascinating study by M. Roxana Sierra-Hernández, Franco Marcantonio, Elizabeth M. Griffith, and Lonnie G. Thompson uncovers the history of lead contamination over the last 36,000 years using a dusty ice core from Tibet. It reveals how anthropogenic lead emerged and evolved from gasoline to coal and lead-zinc ores, offering a unique glimpse into our changing environment.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
This study investigated the sources of lead (Pb) in a dusty ice core from the Guliya ice cap in northwest Tibet, spanning from approximately 36,000 years Before Present (Stone Age) to 2015. A change in the lead isotope signature to below Stone Age levels started in 1949, indicating the first emergence of anthropogenic lead. Using a Bayesian mixing model, Chinese gasoline was identified as the primary anthropogenic source until 2007, after which emissions from coal and lead-zinc ores increased.
Publisher
Communications Earth & Environment
Published On
Oct 01, 2024
Authors
M. Roxana Sierra-Hernández, Franco Marcantonio, Elizabeth M. Griffith, Lonnie G. Thompson
Tags
lead pollution
ice core analysis
Tibet
anthropogenic sources
Bayesian mixing model
environmental changes
historical data

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