Atmospheric dispersion of trace metals between two smelters: An approach coupling lead, strontium and osmium isotopes from bioindicators

Author:
Widory D., Vautour G. & Poirier A.
Year:
2018
Journal:
Ecological Indicators
Pages:
84: 497–506
Url:
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Bioindicators, by naturally cumulating the impacts of chemical contaminants over time, have demonstrated their added value in evaluating environmental quality. We studied Pb, Sr and Os isotope systematics from Cladonia rangiferina lichens collected along a transect between two smelting complexes located in Rouyn-Noranda and Sudbury (Canada) to identify sources of these metals in the Abitibi region and to delineate the extent of their respective emission plumes. Results show that metals present in the study area are explained by the contamination of the regional background by deposition from the atmospheric emissions of the different smelters over distances up to 250 km. A rough estimate of the respective metal contributions of each smelter to the lichen samples was calculated. At low metal concentrations, lichen samples indicate that dispersion plumes may differ for the Pb and Os contamination, perhaps to be linked to differential volatility. Keywords: Air contamination; Osmium; Lead; Strontium; Smelters; Bioindicators.
Id:
28445
Submitter:
zdenek
Post_time:
Thursday, 12 October 2017 12:46