Strong evidence for the continued contribution of lead deposited during the 20th century to the atmospheric environment in London of today

Although leaded gasoline was banned at the end of the last century, lead (Pb) remains significantly enriched in airborne particles in large cities. The remobilization of historical Pb deposited in soils from atmospheric removal has been suggested as an important source providing evidence for the hypothetical long-term persistency of lead, and possibly other pollutants, in the urban environment. Here, we present data on Pb isotopic composition in airborne particles collected in London (2014 to 2018), which provide strong support that lead deposited via gasoline combustion still contributes significantly to the lead burden in present-day London. Lead concentration and isotopic signature of airborne particles collected at a heavily trafficked site did not vary significantly over the last decade, suggesting that sources remained unchanged. Lead isotopic composition of airborne particles matches that of road dust and topsoils and can only be explained with a significant contribution (estimate of 32 ± 10 to 43 ± 9% based on a binary mixing model) of Pb from leaded gasoline. The lead isotopes furthermore suggest significant contributions from nonexhaust traffic emissions, even though isotopic signatures of anthropogenic sources are increasingly overlapping. Lead isotopic composition of airborne particles collected at building height shows a similar signature to that collected at street level, suggesting effective mixing of lead within the urban street canyon. Our results have important implications on the persistence of Pb in urban environments and suggest that atmospheric Pb reached a baseline in London that is difficult to decrease further with present policy measures.

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Lead Isotopes to Identify Underwater Ceramic Contamination: The Example of the Kyrenia Shipwreck (Cyprus)

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min11060625 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 625

Author(s):

Virginie Renson ◽

Michael D. Glascock

Keyword(s):

Isotopic Composition ◽

Lead Isotopes ◽

Isotopic Signature ◽

Marine Organisms ◽

Source Areas ◽

Lead Isotopic Composition ◽

Seawater Environment ◽

Biogenic Material ◽

Chemical Groups ◽

The Impact

We present the lead isotopic composition of ceramic fragments from the Kyrenia shipwreck (Cyprus), selected from three chemical groups related to the Rhodes and Alimos regions (Greece). Fragments of the lead sheathing covering the ship’s hull and biogenic material formed on some of the ceramic sherds, were analyzed along with sherds from the Rhodes and Alimos source areas for comparison. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the impact of the seawater environment on the isotopic signature of the ceramics, and on our ability to use lead isotopes to source ceramics recovered from seawater. The results showed that the lead isotopic composition of the shipwreck ceramics was modified by its prolonged proximity to the lead hull sheathing. The lead signature of filtering marine organisms encrusted on the ceramics provided support for this hypothesis.

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Interannual variability of isotopic composition in water vapor over western Africa and its relationship to ENSO

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-15-3193-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (6) ◽

pp. 3193-3204 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

A. Okazaki ◽

Y. Satoh ◽

G. Tremoy ◽

F. Vimeux ◽

R. Scheepmaker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Isotopic Composition ◽

Southern Oscillation ◽

Monsoon Season ◽

Precipitation Amount ◽

Isotopic Signature ◽

Atmospheric Environment ◽

Global Spectral Model ◽

Near Surface ◽

Western Africa ◽

The Relationship

Abstract. This study was performed to examine the relationship between isotopic composition in near-surface vapor (δ18Ov) over western Africa during the monsoon season and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) activity using the Isotope-incorporated Global Spectral Model. The model was evaluated using a satellite and in situ observations at daily to interannual timescales. The model provided an accurate simulation of the spatial pattern and seasonal and interannual variations of isotopic composition in column and surface vapor and precipitation over western Africa. Encouraged by this result, we conducted a simulation stretching 34 years (1979–2012) to investigate the relationship between atmospheric environment and isotopic signature on an interannual timescale. The simulation indicated that the depletion in the monsoon season does not appear every year at Niamey. The major difference between the composite fields with and without depletion was in the amount of precipitation in the upstream area of Niamey. As the interannual variation of the precipitation amount is influenced by the ENSO, we regressed the monsoon season averaged δ18Ov from the model and annually averaged NINO3 index and found a statistically significant correlation (R = 0.56, P < 0.01) at Niamey. This relationship suggests that there is a possibility of reconstructing past western African monsoon activity and ENSO using climate proxies.

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COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT AIRBORNE PARTICLES IMPACT TOWARDS HUMAN HEALTH

Jurnal Teknologi ◽

10.11113/jt.v77.6854 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 77 (30) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shamzani Affendy Mohd Din ◽

Nik Nurul-Hidayah Nik Yahya ◽

Norsyamimi Hanapi ◽

Alias Abdullah

Keyword(s):

Power Plant ◽

Health Impact ◽

Airborne Particles ◽

Atmospheric Environment ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

The Public ◽

Inhalable Dust ◽

Cyclone Sampler ◽

Coal Workers ◽

Percentage Ratio

The explosion of global warming and climate change occurs parallel to the raise rise of earth development. These phenomena happen due to the deterioration of atmospheric environment rooted from human activity. Ranges of air pollutants had been discovered. However, this research focuses on airborne particles in particular that comes from the emissions of coal. Recently, Malaysia electricity demand is raising and leads to the diversification of its sources towards the non-renewable energy. Manjung coal-fired power plant emission had been recognised as one of the potential anthropogenic sources of airborne particles. 8-hours airborne particles sampling had been done at Manjung Power Plant in March and July 2011 with 7-hole sampler at 2 L/min air flow and cyclone sampler at 2.2 L/min airflow. This research found that total inhalable dust exceeds 96.78 %; PM10 standard of 0.15mg/m3.This study also found that the percentage ratio of respirable towards total inhalable dust is 33.49%. This study also found that, as the temperature increases, the airborne particles concentration also increases. It is believed that the smaller offers particulate higher degree of illness. Thus, it is believed, the airborne particles dissemination from its sources is affected by the climate of an environment. Whichcan be deposited into deeper part of lung and provide adverse health impact towards the public or residence of surrounding coal-fired power plant neighbourhood area, generally and coal workers, specifically.

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Lead isotopic composition of insoluble particles from widespread mountain glaciers in western China: Natural vs. anthropogenic sources

Atmospheric Environment ◽

10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.04.018 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 224-232 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Guangming Yu ◽

Jianzhong Xu ◽

Shichang Kang ◽

Qianggong Zhang ◽

Jie Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Isotopic Composition ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

Western China ◽

Mountain Glaciers ◽

Lead Isotopic Composition ◽

Insoluble Particles

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Interannual variability of isotopic composition in water vapor over West Africa and its relation to ENSO

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-14-24441-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (17) ◽

pp. 24441-24474

Author(s):

A. Okazaki ◽

Y. Satoh ◽

G. Tremoy ◽

F. Vimeux ◽

R. Scheepmaker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Isotopic Composition ◽

Southern Oscillation ◽

Monsoon Season ◽

Precipitation Amount ◽

West African Monsoon ◽

Isotopic Signature ◽

Atmospheric Environment ◽

Global Spectral Model ◽

Near Surface

Abstract. This study was performed to examine the relationship between isotopic composition in near-surface vapor (δ18Ov) over West Africa during the monsoon season and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) activity using the Isotope-incorporated Global Spectral Model. The model was evaluated using a satellite and in situ observations at intraseasonal to interannual timescales. The model provided an accurate simulation of the spatial pattern and seasonal and interannual variations of isotopic composition in column and surface vapor and precipitation over West Africa. Encouraged by this result, a simulation stretching 34 years (1979–2012) was conducted to investigate the relation between atmospheric environment and isotopic signature at the interannual time scale. The simulation indicated that the depletion in the monsoon season does not appear every year at Niamey. The major difference between the composite fields with and without depletion was in the amount of precipitation in the upstream area of Niamey. As the interannual variation of the precipitation amount is influenced by the ENSO, we regressed the monsoon season averaged δ18Ov from the model and annually averaged NINO3 index, and found a statistically significant correlation (R = 0.56, P < 0.01) at Niamey. This relation suggests that there is a possibility of reconstructing past West African monsoon activity and ENSO using climate proxies.

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Presence of continental and Bay of Bengal moisture in rainfall at Kolkata, revealed through simultaneous observation from land and sea during South-West monsoon of 2004

10.5194/esd-2016-63 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Shaakir Shabir Dar ◽

Prosenjit Ghosh

Keyword(s):

Isotopic Composition ◽

Bay Of Bengal ◽

Indian Subcontinent ◽

Isotopic Signature ◽

Peninsular India ◽

Gangetic Plain ◽

Prevailing Wind Direction ◽

South West Monsoon ◽

Continental Source ◽

Sw Monsoon

Abstract. The backward air mass trajectory analysis (HYSPLIT) during the summer monsoon suggests that the rain which precipitates at Kolkata is generated from a moisture parcel which originates from the Arabian Sea and moves inland over the dry Indian subcontinent or over the Bay of Bengal. We used monthly satellite and ground based measurements of the hydro-meteorological variables together with isotope data from Bangalore, Bay of Bengal and Kolkata and other locations to quantify the contribution of different moisture sources during the SW Monsoon. The vapor mass as it moves under the prevailing wind direction was subjected to isotopic modification due to addition of evaporated moisture from Bay of Bengal and rainout process. This was simulated using Craig and Gordon model and Rayleigh fractionation model respectively. The moisture generated during the process of evaporation from Bay of Bengal surface ocean gets advected towards the continent and precipitates as rainfall or snowfall over the Indo-Gangetic plain. We assumed based on our observation that the initial isotopic composition of vapor originating from the peninsular continental source is similar to our observation recorded at Bangalore station. It is found that the isotopic signature of Bangalore is completely lost albeit the significant contribution of the moisture from Bay of Bengal. To explain the isotopic composition of precipitation at Kolkata during the SW-Monsoon, it was necessary to invoke 75–80 % moisture contribution from the Bay of Bengal whereas the evaporated moisture parcel from the Peninsular India contribute 25 %–35 %.

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