Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today
Interior Antarctica is among the most remote places on Earth and was thought to be beyond the reach of human impacts when Amundsen and Scott raced to the South Pole in 1911. Here we show detailed measurements from an extensive array of 16 ice cores quantifying substantial toxic heavy metal lead poll...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Nature Publishing Group
2014
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25241 |
| _version_ | 1848751653731172352 |
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| author | McConnell, J. Maselli, O. Sigl, M. Vallelonga, P Neumann, T. Anschϋtz, H. Bales, R. Curran, M. Das, S. Edwards, Peter Kipfstuhl, S. Layman, L. Thomas, E. |
| author_facet | McConnell, J. Maselli, O. Sigl, M. Vallelonga, P Neumann, T. Anschϋtz, H. Bales, R. Curran, M. Das, S. Edwards, Peter Kipfstuhl, S. Layman, L. Thomas, E. |
| author_sort | McConnell, J. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Interior Antarctica is among the most remote places on Earth and was thought to be beyond the reach of human impacts when Amundsen and Scott raced to the South Pole in 1911. Here we show detailed measurements from an extensive array of 16 ice cores quantifying substantial toxic heavy metal lead pollution at South Pole and throughout Antarctica by 1889 – beating polar explorers by more than 22 years. Unlike the Arctic where lead pollution peaked in the 1970s, lead pollution in Antarctica was as high in the early 20th century as at any time since industrialization. The similar timing and magnitude of changes in lead deposition across Antarctica, as well as the characteristic isotopic signature of Broken Hill lead found throughout the continent, suggest that this single emission source in southern Australia was responsible for the introduction of lead pollution into Antarctica at the end of the 19th century and remains a significant source today. An estimated 660 t of industrial lead have been deposited over Antarctica during the past 130 years as a result of mid-latitude industrial emissions, with regional-to-global scale circulation likely modulating aerosol concentrations. Despite abatement efforts, significant lead pollution in Antarctica persists into the 21st century. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:56:09Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-25241 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:56:09Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-252412017-09-13T15:21:50Z Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today McConnell, J. Maselli, O. Sigl, M. Vallelonga, P Neumann, T. Anschϋtz, H. Bales, R. Curran, M. Das, S. Edwards, Peter Kipfstuhl, S. Layman, L. Thomas, E. Environmental chemistry Cryospheric science Interior Antarctica is among the most remote places on Earth and was thought to be beyond the reach of human impacts when Amundsen and Scott raced to the South Pole in 1911. Here we show detailed measurements from an extensive array of 16 ice cores quantifying substantial toxic heavy metal lead pollution at South Pole and throughout Antarctica by 1889 – beating polar explorers by more than 22 years. Unlike the Arctic where lead pollution peaked in the 1970s, lead pollution in Antarctica was as high in the early 20th century as at any time since industrialization. The similar timing and magnitude of changes in lead deposition across Antarctica, as well as the characteristic isotopic signature of Broken Hill lead found throughout the continent, suggest that this single emission source in southern Australia was responsible for the introduction of lead pollution into Antarctica at the end of the 19th century and remains a significant source today. An estimated 660 t of industrial lead have been deposited over Antarctica during the past 130 years as a result of mid-latitude industrial emissions, with regional-to-global scale circulation likely modulating aerosol concentrations. Despite abatement efforts, significant lead pollution in Antarctica persists into the 21st century. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25241 10.1038/srep05848 Nature Publishing Group fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Environmental chemistry Cryospheric science McConnell, J. Maselli, O. Sigl, M. Vallelonga, P Neumann, T. Anschϋtz, H. Bales, R. Curran, M. Das, S. Edwards, Peter Kipfstuhl, S. Layman, L. Thomas, E. Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today |
| title | Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today |
| title_full | Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today |
| title_fullStr | Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today |
| title_short | Antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today |
| title_sort | antarctic-wide array of high-resolution ice core records reveals pervasive leadpollution began in 1889 and persists today |
| topic | Environmental chemistry Cryospheric science |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25241 |