Distribution and origin of some trace metals in Lake Vanda, Antarctica

• Main Authors: Noriyasu Masuda, Masakichi Nishimura, Tetsuya Torii
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research 1982
• Subjects: Geography (General); G1-922; Antarctic; Lake Vanda; Vanda; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.15094/00008304; https://doaj.org/article/d698ae12b3784283a288457f721773d0

In 1978-79 field season, water samples were collected vertically at Lake Vanda. The concentrations of Al, Fe, Ni, and Cu were determined. The vertical profile of copper is similar to that of chlorinity. Aluminium has constant value from the surface to the bottom. The concentrations of iron are also constant from the surface to 55m but below this layer iron increases abruptly. In the layer above 55m, iron should be present as trivalent solid form and precipitated to the bottom where iron is reduced and diffused upward. This process could be repeated to account for the iron distribution of the observed profile. Copper shows a good correlation with chlorinity which is not removed significantly in the lake. The copper to sodium ratio of sea water is three orders of magnitude smaller than that of deep water of the lake, which has a similar ratio to Antarctic snow. The data supports that the origin of copper is air-borne particles via glacier and glacial melt water.