Decreasing of the industrial lead contamination in the Amundsen Sea area

Science Highlights

7 July 2016

Since the phasing-out of leaded automobile gasoline, the imprint of industrial lead is decreasing everywhere. Antarctica snow and ice are no exception to this general rule, as shown by measurements of lead (Pb) concentration and isotopic composition in these environments as well as in the Amundsen Sea Polynya. Up to 95% of the Pb at the time of sampling is natural in source, allowing tracing weathering from Antarctic rocks….

Photo: Silke Severmann, Rutgers University.

Reference:

Ndungu, K., Zurbrick, C. M., Stammerjohn, S., Severmann, S., Sherrell, R. M., & Flegal, A. R. (2016). Lead Sources to the Amundsen Sea, West Antarctica. Environmental Science & Technology, 50(12), 6233–6239. doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b05151

Latest highlights

Science Highlights

Decline of the anthropogenic lead imprint to the ocean confirmed by data from the South West Atlantic Ocean

This study reveals that the mean lead concentrations in the surface waters of the western South Atlantic Ocean decreased by 34 % between the 1990s and 2011.

29.03.2023

Science Highlights

Irradiance-normalized non-photochemical quenching (NPQ): a new proxy of iron stress for phytoplankton

Ryan-Keogh and his colleagues used NPQ to fingerprint the photo-physiological response of phytoplankton to their environment.

06.03.2023

Science Highlights

Exhaustive modelling study of the oceanic neodymium parameters

The conclusion of this study reinforces the important role of the solid particles in driving the neodymium oceanic cycle.

02.03.2023

Science Highlights

Dissolved manganese distribution in the Arabian Sea reveals many variable triggers

Analysis of dissolved manganese on samples collected on GEOTRACES cruises allowed Singh and colleagues to establish its basin-wide distribution in the Arabian Sea.

01.03.2023

Rechercher