Abstract
The absence of accurate measurements of lead (Pb) isotopic composition in the North Pacific abyssal water has made it difficult to assess the relative importance of what are believed to be the two major Pb sources: the natural Pb introduced during preindustrial time and recent anthropogenic Pb resulting from leaded gasoline combustion and high temperature industrial activities. Here we report a vertical profile of seawater 206Pb/207Pb ratio and a meridional section of Pb concentration in the North Pacific Ocean. We observe 2-3-fold increases in Pb concentration along the deep-water flow path and a deep-water 206Pb/207Pb ratio (∼1.188) substantially lower than the pre-industrial value (∼1.210). These data suggest that anthropogenic Pb has invaded the North Pacific abyssal water and become the predominant Pb source there. A simple model calculation based on these data indicates that the anthropogenic Pb is transported to the deep ocean by sinking particles and that this Pb vertical flux has a 206Pb/207Pb ratio that decreased during the past two centuries.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4629-4638 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta |
| Volume | 74 |
| Issue number | 16 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2010 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geochemistry and Petrology
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Isotopic evidence for the source of lead in the North Pacific abyssal water. / Wu, Jingfeng; Rember, Robert; Jin, Meibin; Boyle, Edward A.; Flegal, A. Russell.
In: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol. 74, No. 16, 08.2010, p. 4629-4638.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Isotopic evidence for the source of lead in the North Pacific abyssal water
AU - Wu, Jingfeng
AU - Rember, Robert
AU - Jin, Meibin
AU - Boyle, Edward A.
AU - Flegal, A. Russell
PY - 2010/8
Y1 - 2010/8
N2 - The absence of accurate measurements of lead (Pb) isotopic composition in the North Pacific abyssal water has made it difficult to assess the relative importance of what are believed to be the two major Pb sources: the natural Pb introduced during preindustrial time and recent anthropogenic Pb resulting from leaded gasoline combustion and high temperature industrial activities. Here we report a vertical profile of seawater 206Pb/207Pb ratio and a meridional section of Pb concentration in the North Pacific Ocean. We observe 2-3-fold increases in Pb concentration along the deep-water flow path and a deep-water 206Pb/207Pb ratio (∼1.188) substantially lower than the pre-industrial value (∼1.210). These data suggest that anthropogenic Pb has invaded the North Pacific abyssal water and become the predominant Pb source there. A simple model calculation based on these data indicates that the anthropogenic Pb is transported to the deep ocean by sinking particles and that this Pb vertical flux has a 206Pb/207Pb ratio that decreased during the past two centuries.
AB - The absence of accurate measurements of lead (Pb) isotopic composition in the North Pacific abyssal water has made it difficult to assess the relative importance of what are believed to be the two major Pb sources: the natural Pb introduced during preindustrial time and recent anthropogenic Pb resulting from leaded gasoline combustion and high temperature industrial activities. Here we report a vertical profile of seawater 206Pb/207Pb ratio and a meridional section of Pb concentration in the North Pacific Ocean. We observe 2-3-fold increases in Pb concentration along the deep-water flow path and a deep-water 206Pb/207Pb ratio (∼1.188) substantially lower than the pre-industrial value (∼1.210). These data suggest that anthropogenic Pb has invaded the North Pacific abyssal water and become the predominant Pb source there. A simple model calculation based on these data indicates that the anthropogenic Pb is transported to the deep ocean by sinking particles and that this Pb vertical flux has a 206Pb/207Pb ratio that decreased during the past two centuries.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954540194&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77954540194&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gca.2010.05.017
DO - 10.1016/j.gca.2010.05.017
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77954540194
VL - 74
SP - 4629
EP - 4638
JO - Geochmica et Cosmochimica Acta
JF - Geochmica et Cosmochimica Acta
SN - 0016-7037
IS - 16
ER -