Widespread pollution of the South American atmosphere predates the industrial revolution by 240 y
An exceptionally detailed ice core from the high-altitude location of Quelccaya (Peru) contains compelling evidence that the well-known metallurgic activities performed during the Inca Empire (A.D. 1438−1532) had a negligible impact on the South American atmosphere. In contrast, atmospheric emission...
Published in: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Published: |
National Academy of Sciences
2015
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345557/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25675506 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1421119112 |
Summary: | An exceptionally detailed ice core from the high-altitude location of Quelccaya (Peru) contains compelling evidence that the well-known metallurgic activities performed during the Inca Empire (A.D. 1438−1532) had a negligible impact on the South American atmosphere. In contrast, atmospheric emissions of a variety of toxic trace elements in South America started to have a widespread environmental impact around A.D. 1540, ∼240 y before the industrial revolution when colonial metallurgy began to pollute the Andean atmosphere. 20th century atmospheric pollution levels were the highest on record and remain unprecedented over the entirety of human history. |
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