Atmospheric pollutants in alpine peat bogs record a detailed chronology of industrial and agricultural development on the Australian continent

Samuel K Marx; B S Kamber; H A McGowan; A Zawadzki

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2009.12.009

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Atmospheric pollutants in alpine peat bogs record a detailed chronology of industrial and agricultural development on the Australian continent

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Atmospheric pollutants in alpine peat bogs record a detailed chronology of industrial and agricultural development on the Australian continent

Samuel K Marx, B S Kamber, H A McGowan and A Zawadzki

Environmental Pollution, Vol.158(5), pp.1615-1628

2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2009.12.009

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Abstract

Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience

Geophysics

atmospheric pollution

metals

yttrium/holmium

Pb isotopes

peat

Two peat bogs from remote alpine sites in Australia were found to contain detailed and coherent histories of atmospheric metal pollution for Pb, Zn, Cu, Mo, Ag, As, Cd, Sb, Zn, In, Cr, Ni, Tl and V. Dramatic increases in metal deposition in the post-1850 AD portion of the cores coincide with the onset of mining in Australia. Using both Pb isotopes and metals, pollutants were ascribed to the main atmospheric pollution emitting sources in Australia, namely mining and smelting, coal combustion and agriculture. Results imply mining and metal production are the major source of atmospheric metal pollution, although coal combustion may account for up to 30% of metal pollutants. A novel finding of this study is the increase in the otherwise near-constant Y/Ho ratio after 1900 AD. We link this change to widespread and increased application of marine phosphate fertiliser in Australia's main agricultural area (the Murray Darling Basin). Detailed records of atmospheric metal pollution accumulation in Australia are presented and are shown to trace the industrial and agricultural development of the continent.

Details

Title: Atmospheric pollutants in alpine peat bogs record a detailed chronology of industrial and agricultural development on the Australian continent
Authors: Samuel K Marx (Author) - University of Queensland
B S Kamber (Author) - Laurentian University, Canada
H A McGowan (Author) - University of Queensland
A Zawadzki (Author) - Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Publication details: Environmental Pollution, Vol.158(5), pp.1615-1628
Publisher: Pergamon
Date published: 2010
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.12.009
ISSN: 0269-7491
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449542802621
Output Type: Journal article

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