Centennial records of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon in Altay Mountains peatlands, Xinjiang, China

Abstract

Black carbon (BC) is an important inert carbon component in the cycling process of surface carbon. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a kind of thick cyclic organic compounds with carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects. The incomplete burning process of biomass and carbolic fuel is the important source of their co-occurrence. This study collected a 60-cm peat core from the Jiadengyu (JDY), Altay Mountain. The core was dated using the 210Pb and 137Cs methods. The results showed BC, total organic carbon, and PAHs of the JDY peat core to be 1.14–72.6 mg g−1, 17.09–47.2%, and 260.58–1,610.77 ng·g−1, respectively. δ13CBC was between −31.5 and − 29.4‰ (mean of −30.56‰). The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated irregular or lumpy peat BC particles, retaining a plant fiber structure. δ13CBC, ratios of PAHs, and the SEM revealed that the BC to be the dominant source of biomass combustion in the peatland. BC showed an increasing trend between 1950 and 1980, after which it decreased. The discrepancy between the change in BC and δ13CBC from the national pattern of BC emission likely reflects the effect of local agricultural exploration, and thus an increase in crop burning.

Identifying Anthropogenic Sources of Heavy Metals in Alpine Peatlands over the Past 150 Years: Examples from Typical Peatlands in Altay Mountains, Northwest China

“…A dating analysis of the peat profile at JDY has been carried out by Luo et al [ 32 ]. The activity of 210 Pb radioactivity of the HH peatland profiles showed a gradual decrease with depth ( Figure 2 ).…”

“…65% and 610% at the 95% confidence level. The detailed dating method has been described in Reference [ 32 ].…”

Investigation of 200 anthropogenic activities in a representative alpine peatland in the Altay Mountains, northwestern China

“…Special topographic features, abundant water resources, and the cold climate of the Altay Mountains of Xinjiang make peatland resources abundant. These conditions are favorable for the formation and development of peatland mounds in high-altitude permafrost regions (Zhang et al 2018 ; Luo et al 2022 ). The Heihu peatlands fall under the jurisdiction of the Kanas Nature Reserve.…”