A multi-isotope approach （Pb, S, N, O and Sr） to estimate the impact of long distance air pollution

• Published in: Chinese journal of geochemistry Vol. 25; no. B08; pp. 154 - 155
• Main Author: Martin Kralik Franko Humer Johannes Grath Johanna Nurmi-Legat Andrea Hanus-Illnar Stan Halas Monika Jelenc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: 同位素; 地下水; 水资源; 空气污染
• ISSN: 1000-9426; 1993-0364

The impact of air pollution is a substantial European and global problem which has been observed even in the most remote areas of our planet. Not only surface water, but also groundwater resources are partly endangered by dry and wet deposition from the air. Karst and other sensitive aquifers contribute up to 90 % to the total drinking water supply in some European regions. However, they are more vulnerable to contamination than other aquifers due to short transfer times from recharge to source. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to show possibilities to quantify the impact of air pollution on sensitive water resources （e.g. karst）, to develop an innovative surveillance tool based on isotopes and meteorological considerations. Comparisons of lead isotope measurements in precipitation, spring waters, soil profiles and dolomite bedrock in a relatively pristine and remote area at the front-range of the Northern Calcareous Alps in Austria with literature data indicate that radiogenic Australian gasoline-lead still dominates with 60%-80% the composition of the trace lead in the spring waters. In addition to the lead leached from the dolomite bedrock a third source contributes about 5%-10%. This second long distance Pb-contribution may originate from coal burning and/or Ag-Pb-ore smelting in central Europe in the past. The monthly precipitation （May and September 2005） samples show ^18O-rich sulphate ions, whereas the soil sulphates change in the direction to lower ^18O- and higher ^34S values with depth. The spring waters and bedrock dolomites show relatively low delta ^34S values （4‰-9 ‰）. Assuming the precipitation samples and the dolomite bed rocks are end-members the contribution of atmospheric sulphate can estimated to be 20% in the spring waters and between 10% to 45% in the soil samples. The ^87Sr/^86Sr-isotope results in the precipitation （0.7092） support at least a more radiogeradiogenic, far transported source in addition to a possible recycling of local dolomite and limestone （0.7080-0.7083） dust.