Lead/Calcium profiles in the common time window 1770-2010 of the three Arctica islandica shells

In the study, we establish centennial records of anthropogenic lead pollution at different locations in the North Atlantic (Iceland, USA, and Europe) by means of lead deposited in shells of the long-lived bivalve Arctica islandica. Due to local oceanographic and geological conditions we conclude tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Krause-Nehring, Jacqueline, Brey, Thomas, Thorrold, Simon R
Format: Dataset
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA 2012
Subjects:
Grab
HELG
ICEL
Iceland
off Helgoland
North Sea
VIRG
Virginia
USA
Helgoland
Arctica islandica
North Atlantic
Online Access:https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.775489
https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.775489
Description
Summary:In the study, we establish centennial records of anthropogenic lead pollution at different locations in the North Atlantic (Iceland, USA, and Europe) by means of lead deposited in shells of the long-lived bivalve Arctica islandica. Due to local oceanographic and geological conditions we conclude that the lead concentrations in the Icelandic shell reflect natural influxes of lead into Icelandic waters. In comparison, the lead profile of the US shell is clearly driven by anthropogenic lead emissions transported from the continent to the ocean by westerly surface winds. Lead concentrations in the European North Sea shell, in contrast, are dominantly driven by local lead sources resulting in a much less conspicuous 1970s gasoline lead peak. In conclusion, the lead profiles of the three shells are driven by different influxes of lead, and yet, all support the applicability of Pb/Ca analyses of A. islandica shells to reconstruct location specific anthropogenic lead pollution.

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