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Earth System Processes - Global Meeting (June 24-28, 2001)

Paper No. 0
Presentation Time: 10:05 AM

INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF HEAVY METALS ON SOIL-WATER SYSTEMS AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE BIOGEOCHEMICAL BEHAVIOUR OF LEAD


PACES, T.1, CORCIMARU, S.2, EMMANUEL, S.3, EREL, Y.3, NOVAK, M.1, PLYUSNIN, A.4, VERON, A.5 and WICKHAM, S.6, (1)Czech Geol Survey, Geologicka 6, Prague 5, Czech Republic, (2)The Institute of Microbiology, The Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chisinau, MD 2028, Moldova, (3)Hebrew Univ, Intitute of Earth Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel, (4)Institute of Geochemistry and Geology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Buriat Republic, Russia, (5)CEREGE-CNRS, Aix en Provence, France, (6)Galson Sciences Ltd, Oakham, United Kingdom, paces@cgu.cz

Heavy metals play an important role in the metabolism of the Earth. Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn and other trace metals, such as As, Be and Se enter terrestrial ecosystems and organisms. Physiological studies are carried on in simplified laboratory systems. One of the reasons why it is difficult to apply physiological results to natural ecosystems is that the metals and trace elements are distributed in individual ecosystem compartments in different proportions and they are stored due to different type of bonding. They cycle between various ecosystem compartments at very different rates. It is therefore desirable to measure natural and anthropogenic pools and fluxes of these elements in situ.

Lead is a trace metal that is present naturally in soils and water in trace amounts. Increased amounts are due to atmospheric pollution caused by burning of fossil fuels, smelting, traffic, waste incineration and agricultural application of sewage. We have determined large differences in lead concentrations in Siberia (Buriat Republic), Moldova and the Czech Republic. Two soil profiles were located in each of the regions. One represented polluted, and one unpolluted soil. The concentration, speciation and isotope composition of lead were determined. Lead concentration in local surface and ground water was often below 2 ppb. Relative to pre-industrial times, lead concentrations have most increased in all sites in Central Europe (Czech Republic (100-300 ppm in top soil layer). The isotope composition (206Pb/207Pb) was around 1.16 in the top layer, and 1.205 at a depth of 20 cm. In the lecture, the vertical lead isotope signals in forest soils will be interpreted in light of lead mass balances at the catchment level. Mixing of individual lead sources at a receptor site will be discussed using isotope signatures of regional polluters and a chronosequence of 210Pb dated peat profiles with known historical changes in 206Pb/207Pb ratios.

Session No. 50

T16. Integrated Approaches to Water Quality Issues
Thursday, 28 June 2001: 10:00 AM-4:30 PM
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