Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden
Abstract Purpose This study aims to evaluate temporal trends of Tantalum (Ta) and Niobium (Nb) concentrations in northern Baltic Sea sediments with focus on the potential impact from the Rönnskär sulfide ore smelter, located 15 km east of Skellefteå in northern Sweden. The potential of Ta or Nb to s...
Published in: | Journal of Soils and Sediments |
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Springer Science and Business Media LLC
2020
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4 http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4.pdf http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4/fulltext.html |
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crspringernat:10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4 2023-05-15T17:45:12+02:00 Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden Sutliff-Johansson, S Pontér, S Engström, E Rodushkin, I Peltola, P Widerlund, A Tillväxtverket Region Norrbotten 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4 http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4.pdf http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4/fulltext.html en eng Springer Science and Business Media LLC https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 CC-BY Journal of Soils and Sediments volume 21, issue 3, page 1488-1503 ISSN 1439-0108 1614-7480 Stratigraphy Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 2020 crspringernat https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4 2022-01-04T08:17:56Z Abstract Purpose This study aims to evaluate temporal trends of Tantalum (Ta) and Niobium (Nb) concentrations in northern Baltic Sea sediments with focus on the potential impact from the Rönnskär sulfide ore smelter, located 15 km east of Skellefteå in northern Sweden. The potential of Ta or Nb to serve as tracers for environmental pollution caused by the electronic waste is compared. Lastly, correlations between Ta and Nb concentrations and those of major redox elements are investigated. Methods A 35-cm-deep core was collected in the harbor bay (Kallholmsfjärden) outside of the smelter. A secondary 6-m-deep sediment core was collected in the deep Bothnian Bay for comparative purposes. Element screening analysis was conducted the using ICP-SFMS for the Kallhomsfjärden core and a combination of ICP-SFMS and ICP-OES for the Bothnian Bay core. In the final analysis, a 5-step sequential extraction technique was preformed to allow for better prediction of the fate and mobility of Ta and Nb. Results and discussion In the vicinity of the smelter, Ta concentration increases from 0.42 to 3.8 ppm from the time coinciding with the beginning of electronic waste processing. Conversely, Nb concentration remained stable at background levels throughout the core at 6.33 ± 0.78 ppm. The Nb/Ta ratio thus changed from 14.5 to 1.7, reflecting an increase of anthropogenic input of Ta into the bay sediments. In the pre-industrial part of the sediment, concentrations of both elements follow concentration of aluminosilicates in the core. In recent sediments, however, the anthropogenic Ta exhibits an association with hydrous ferric oxides (HFOs) and organic matter. Conclusions Notable increases in Ta concentrations began following the beginning of scrap metal and electronic waste processing at the Rönnskär smelter. Anthropogenic Ta introduced in the upper portion of the sediment and are more associated with HFOs and organic material than natural Ta seen in the deeper parts of the core where detrital Ta is most common. Niobium was not affected by the Rönnskär smelter and displayed no notable change to the preindustrial background. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Sweden Springer Nature (via Crossref) Journal of Soils and Sediments 21 3 1488 1503 |
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Springer Nature (via Crossref) |
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crspringernat |
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English |
topic |
Stratigraphy Earth-Surface Processes |
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Stratigraphy Earth-Surface Processes Sutliff-Johansson, S Pontér, S Engström, E Rodushkin, I Peltola, P Widerlund, A Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden |
topic_facet |
Stratigraphy Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract Purpose This study aims to evaluate temporal trends of Tantalum (Ta) and Niobium (Nb) concentrations in northern Baltic Sea sediments with focus on the potential impact from the Rönnskär sulfide ore smelter, located 15 km east of Skellefteå in northern Sweden. The potential of Ta or Nb to serve as tracers for environmental pollution caused by the electronic waste is compared. Lastly, correlations between Ta and Nb concentrations and those of major redox elements are investigated. Methods A 35-cm-deep core was collected in the harbor bay (Kallholmsfjärden) outside of the smelter. A secondary 6-m-deep sediment core was collected in the deep Bothnian Bay for comparative purposes. Element screening analysis was conducted the using ICP-SFMS for the Kallhomsfjärden core and a combination of ICP-SFMS and ICP-OES for the Bothnian Bay core. In the final analysis, a 5-step sequential extraction technique was preformed to allow for better prediction of the fate and mobility of Ta and Nb. Results and discussion In the vicinity of the smelter, Ta concentration increases from 0.42 to 3.8 ppm from the time coinciding with the beginning of electronic waste processing. Conversely, Nb concentration remained stable at background levels throughout the core at 6.33 ± 0.78 ppm. The Nb/Ta ratio thus changed from 14.5 to 1.7, reflecting an increase of anthropogenic input of Ta into the bay sediments. In the pre-industrial part of the sediment, concentrations of both elements follow concentration of aluminosilicates in the core. In recent sediments, however, the anthropogenic Ta exhibits an association with hydrous ferric oxides (HFOs) and organic matter. Conclusions Notable increases in Ta concentrations began following the beginning of scrap metal and electronic waste processing at the Rönnskär smelter. Anthropogenic Ta introduced in the upper portion of the sediment and are more associated with HFOs and organic material than natural Ta seen in the deeper parts of the core where detrital Ta is most common. Niobium was not affected by the Rönnskär smelter and displayed no notable change to the preindustrial background. |
author2 |
Tillväxtverket Region Norrbotten |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sutliff-Johansson, S Pontér, S Engström, E Rodushkin, I Peltola, P Widerlund, A |
author_facet |
Sutliff-Johansson, S Pontér, S Engström, E Rodushkin, I Peltola, P Widerlund, A |
author_sort |
Sutliff-Johansson, S |
title |
Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden |
title_short |
Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden |
title_full |
Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden |
title_fullStr |
Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden |
title_full_unstemmed |
Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden |
title_sort |
tracing anthropogenic sources of tantalum and niobium in bothnian bay sediments, sweden |
publisher |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4 http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4.pdf http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4/fulltext.html |
genre |
Northern Sweden |
genre_facet |
Northern Sweden |
op_source |
Journal of Soils and Sediments volume 21, issue 3, page 1488-1503 ISSN 1439-0108 1614-7480 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02852-4 |
container_title |
Journal of Soils and Sediments |
container_volume |
21 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
1488 |
op_container_end_page |
1503 |
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1766148038038913024 |