Attribution of sources to metal accumulation in an alpine tarn, the Snowy Mountains, Australia

Stromsoe, Nicola; Callow, Nik; McGowan, Hamish A.; Marx, Samuel K.

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2013.05.051

Cited by 14 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 60 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Despite their alpine setting, the Snowy Mountains can be considered relatively stable in a geomorphic context, a result of the intraplate setting of the Australian continent combined with a relative lack of recent glacial activity (Barrows et al, 2001). The Snowy Mountains therefore experience low denudation rates (Bishop and Goldrick, 2000;Young and McDougall, 1993) and sediment yields that are approximately 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than European alpine areas (Stromsoe et al, 2013;Yu and Neil, 1994).…”

Section: Physical Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It aims to investigate the significance of atmospherically derived industrial metals in different parts of the landscape, using enrichment factors to assess the degree of contamination. This study builds on the results of two previous studies which examined metal accumulation in peat mires and tarn-lakes (Stromsoe et al, 2013). However, whereas those studies focused on the chronology (historical variability) and source appointment of industrial metals, this study compares atmospheric enrichment of metals and their accumulation in various environmental archives (peats, lakes, reservoirs and soils) to investigate patterns of dilution and concentration across the landscape.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Full details of the peat core collection, processing and dating was described in Marx et al, (2010), while the Club Lake core was described in Stromsoe et al (2013).…”

Section: Cloud Water Depositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The analysis of trace elements (including industrial metals) in the aerosol samples, sediment samples extracted from the reservoirs cores, soils and samples from the Club Lake core (previously presented in Stromsoe et al, 2013) was performed by solution quadrupole ICP-MS on a Agilent 7700x instrument at the Department of Earth Sciences University of Melbourne, Australia. Sediment samples from the peat cores were analysed at Laurentian University, Ontario, Canada on a Varian 810 instrument using the same approach .…”

Section: Trace Element Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Typically, however, these studies have focussed on those parts of the landscape which receive high relative rates of atmospheric input such as peat mires Shotyk et al, 2002) and snow and ice McConnell and Edwards, 2008). Enrichment has also been demonstrated in soil (Brännvall et al, 2001;Klaminder et al, 2006) and lake sediments (Brännvall et al, 1999;Stromsoe et al, 2013;Wong et al, 1984;Yang et al, 2007) although these records maybe more complex due to the influence of catchment and in situ soil processes (e.g. Augustsson et al, 2010;Shotyk and Krachler, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

A landscape-scale approach to examining the fate of atmospherically derived industrial metals in the surficial environment

Stromsoe

Marx

McGowan

et al. 2015

Science of The Total Environment

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Industrial metals are now ubiquitous within the atmosphere and their deposition represents a potential source of contamination to surficial environments. Few studies, however, have examined the environmental fate of atmospheric industrial metals within different surface environments. In this study, patterns of accumulation of atmospherically transported industrial metals were investigated within the surface environments of the Snowy Mountains, Australia. Metals, including Pb, Sb, Cr and Mo, were enriched in aerosols collected in the Snowy Mountains by 3.5-50 times pre-industrial concentrations. In sedimentary environments (soils, lakes and reservoirs) metals showed varying degrees of enrichment. Differences were attributed to the relative degree of atmospheric input, metal sensitivity to enrichment, catchment area and metal behaviour following deposition. In settings where atmospheric deposition dominated (ombrotrophic peat mires in the upper parts of catchments), metal enrichment patterns most closely resembled those in collected aerosols. However, even in these environments significant dilution (by 5-7 times) occurred. The most sensitive industrial metals (those with the lowest natural concentration; Cd, Ag, Sb and Mo) were enriched throughout the studied environments. However, in alpine tarn-lakes no other metals were enriched, due to the dilution of pollutantmetals by catchment derived sediment. In reservoirs, which were located lower within catchments, industrial metals exhibited more complex patterns. Particle reactive metals (e.g. Pb) displayed little enrichment, implying that they were retained up catchment, whereas more soluble metals (e.g., Cu and Zn) showed evidence of concentration. These same metals (Cu and Zn) were depleted in soils, implying that they are preferentially transported through catchments. Enrichment of other metals (e.g. Cd) varied between reservoirs as a function of contributing catchment area. Overall this study showed that the fate of atmospherically derived metals is complex, and depends upon metal behaviour and geomorphic processes operating at landscape scales. Disciplines Medicine and Health Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication DetailsStromsoe, N., Marx, S. K., McGowan, H. A., Callow, N., Heijnis, H. & Zawadzki, A. (2015). A landscape-scale approach to examining the fate of atmospherically derived industrial metals in the surficial environment. However, in alpine tarn-lakes no other metals were enriched, due to the dilution of pollutantmetals by catchment derived sediment. In reservoirs, which were located lower within catchments, industrial metals exhibited more complex patterns. Particle reactive metals (e.g. Pb) displayed little enrichment, implying they were retained up catchment, whereas more soluble metals (e.g., Cu and Zn) showed evidence of concentration. These same metals (Cu and Zn) were depleted in soils, implying they are preferentially transported through catchments. Enrichment of other metals (e.g. Cd) varied between reservoirs as a funct...

show abstract

Section: Physical Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Full details of the peat core collection, processing and dating was described in Marx et al, (2010), while the Club Lake core was described in Stromsoe et al (2013).…”

Section: Cloud Water Depositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Trace Element Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

A landscape-scale approach to examining the fate of atmospherically derived industrial metals in the surficial environment

Stromsoe

Marx

McGowan

et al. 2015

Science of The Total Environment

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Deciphering long‐term records of natural variability and human impact as recorded in lake sediments: a palaeolimnological puzzle

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Global aquatic ecosystems are under increasing threat from anthropogenic activity, as well as being exposed to past (and projected) climate change, however, the nature of how climate and human impacts are recorded in lake sediments is often ambiguous. Natural and anthropogenic drivers can force a similar response in lake systems, yet the ability to attribute what change recorded in lake sediments is natural, from that which is anthropogenic, is increasingly important for understanding how lake systems have, and will continue to function when subjected to multiple stressors; an issue that is particularly acute when considering management options for aquatic ecosystems. The duration and timing of human impacts on lake systems varies geographically, with some regions of the world (such as Africa and South America) having a longer legacy of human impact than others (e.g., New Zealand). A wide array of techniques (biological, chemical, physical and statistical) is available to palaeolimnologists to allow the deciphering of complex sedimentary records. Lake sediments are an important archive of how drivers have changed through time, and how these impacts manifest in lake systems. With a paucity of ‘real‐time’ data pre‐dating human impact, palaeolimnological archives offer the only insight into both natural variability (i.e., that driven by climate and intrinsic lake processes) and the impact of people. While there is a need to acknowledge complexity, and temporal and spatial variability when deciphering change from sediment archives, a palaeolimnological approach is a powerful tool for better understanding and managing global aquatic resources. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1195. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1195 This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change Water and Life > Methods

show abstract

Recent changes in major and trace elements in sediments from a remote mountain lake (6th Triglav Lake) in the Julian Alps, NW Slovenia

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We collected a sediment core from the 6th (6J) Triglav Lake, a remote mountain lake in NW Slovenia, and analysed it for 25 elements, using k 0instrumental neutron activation analysis (k 0 -INAA). For Hg, we used cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). Data were analysed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). PCA indicated several distinct groups of elements and sediment core samples. Ca distribution was entirely different from all other sediment components. Ba, Br, Hg, Sb and Zn were associated with organic matter (OM), with Hg showing the strongest affinity to OM. As, Cr, Fe and U formed a group of redox-sensitive elements. Two events that occurred ca. 1915 and in the 1940s/1950s, were identified in the core. They were associated with increased inputs of allochthonous material into the lake, and significantly affected the stratigraphic distributions of all elements. Some trace elements, such as As, Hg and Zn, are probably effectively retained in the catchment, whereas Cr tends to be readily exported from the catchment. Atmospheric deposition affected not only elements of anthropogenic origin (As, Ba, Br, Hg, Sb, Zn and Cr) that started to increase after the 1970s, but also those of terrestrial origin (Ca, Fe, Na). Introduction of fish into the lake in 1991 and the subsequent increase in primary production, affected the distribution of Ca and elements that are redoxsensitive and/or associated with OM (As, Ba, Fe, Sb, U, Zn). Fe minerals in uppermost 6J sediments have a strong influence on the distribution of several trace elements. As and Zn closely tracked Fe, whereas Sb was likely released after oxidation. Climate change could also have enhanced inputs of elements from the catchment, but such changes were likely overwhelmed by the effects of increased eutrophication.

show abstract

Attribution of sources to metal accumulation in an alpine tarn, the Snowy Mountains, Australia

Cited by 14 publications

References 60 publications

A landscape-scale approach to examining the fate of atmospherically derived industrial metals in the surficial environment

A landscape-scale approach to examining the fate of atmospherically derived industrial metals in the surficial environment

Deciphering long‐term records of natural variability and human impact as recorded in lake sediments: a palaeolimnological puzzle

Recent changes in major and trace elements in sediments from a remote mountain lake (6th Triglav Lake) in the Julian Alps, NW Slovenia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About