Persistent, multi-sourced lead contamination in Central Europe since the Bronze Age recorded in the Füramoos peat bog, Germany

Kern, Oliver A.; Süfke, Finn; Gutjahr, Marcus; Mächtle, Bertil; Pross, Jörg

doi:10.1016/j.ancene.2021.100310

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Variation in water content, organic matter content, and core density can affect the reliability of geochemical records derived by XRF‐CS on peat (Longman et al, 2019 ). In order to minimize these impacts, the elemental data have been normalized to the ratio of incoherent to coherent scattering (inc/coh ratio; Kylander et al, 2011 ), as applied, for example, in the study of anthropogenic Pb in the Füramoos peat bog in Germany (Kern et al, 2021 ). For Pb and Cu, where quantitative concentrations were derived by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP‐OES) on the same core (previously reported in Fletcher & Ryan, 2018 ), we find a very strong correlation between ICP‐OES and normalized XRF‐CS results (for Pb, R = .925, p < 2 × 10 −16 and for Cu, R = .923, p < 2 × 10 −16 ), giving confidence in the reliability of the XRF‐CS data.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Variation in water content, organic matter content, and core density can affect the reliability of geochemical records derived by XRF-CS on peat (Longman et al, 2019). In order to minimize these impacts, the elemental data have been normalized to the ratio of incoherent to coherent scattering (inc/coh ratio; Kylander et al, 2011), as applied, for example, in the study of anthropogenic Pb in the Füramoos peat bog in Germany (Kern et al, 2021).…”

Section: Sampling Peat Characterization and Geochemical Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological impacts of the industrial revolution in a lowland raised peat bog near Manchester, NW England

Garcés‐Pastor

Fletcher

Ryan

2023

Ecology and Evolution

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(1) Ombrotrophic peat bogs provide valuable records of environmental change on long timescales but are rarely preserved near the major centers of industrial activity. Holcroft Moss is a rare example of a stratigraphically intact lowland peat bog in NW England, which provides a valuable opportunity to trace industrial impacts on vegetation in a sensitive environmental archive close to the early industrializing cities of Manchester and Liverpool. (2) We reconstructed environmental changes at Holcroft Moss before and after the Industrial Revolution using a decadal‐scale record of pollen, non‐pollen palynomorphs, microcharcoal, peat composition (organic content and ash‐free bulk density) and heavy metal content, constrained by a radiocarbon and SCP (spheroidal carbonaceous particle) chronology. We examine the relationship between abiotic and biotic environmental tracers using principal component analysis and evaluate the role of local and regional climatic and anthropogenic drivers using canonical redundancy analysis and partitioning of variation. (3) Results show significant changes in bog vegetation composition during the last 700 years. Prior to 1750 CE, climate and agro‐pastoral activity (grazing and fires) were the main drivers of vegetation change. Subsequently, regional coal‐fired industry contributed to major increases in atmospheric pollutants (dust, heavy metals, and acid deposition) that severely impacted vegetation, driving the decline of Sphagnum . Grasses rose to dominance in the 20th century associated especially with bog conversion and cumulative nitrogen deposition. Although atmospheric pollution significantly decreased in the post‐industrial era, vegetation has not returned to pre‐industrial conditions, reflecting the ongoing impact of global change drivers which pose challenges for conservation and restoration. (4) Synthesis . Paleoecological studies are needed to reveal the long‐term history of vegetation degradation and to offer guidelines for restoration and conservation practices. This study reconstructs the last 700 years of a peat bog located between Manchester and Liverpool, revealing the timing and nature of vegetation changes across the trajectory of early industrialization and eventual post‐industrial decline. Our study reveals the progressive dominance of regional anthropogenic forcing and highlights that the present‐day vegetation does not have past analogs within the last 700 years. Conservation measures favoring the reintroduction of Sphagnum are justified in redressing the major biological legacy of the Industrial Revolution, while steps to increase Calluna should also be considered in light of its resilience to dry and fire‐prone conditions.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sampling Peat Characterization and Geochemical Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological impacts of the industrial revolution in a lowland raised peat bog near Manchester, NW England

Garcés‐Pastor

Fletcher

Ryan

2023

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Possible older sources of trace metals may include mining in the headwaters of the Nidda River (Vogelsberg mountains: iron ore and basalt mining), as well as early industrial metal processing throughout the river catchment [16]. Mining and metal industry represent one of the main sources of historical metal enrichment in river floodplains before, and especially during the Industrial Revolution from the 1850s onwards [76]. In contrast, recent sources could be related to wastewater treatment plants, industrial and traffic discharges as point sources, or uptake of polluted legacy sediments, as well as erosion on agricultural land [73,[77][78][79].…”

Section: Metal Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

Meso- and microplastic distribution and spatial connections to metal contaminations in highly cultivated and urbanised floodplain soilscapes – a case study from the Nidda River (Germany)

et al. 2022

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Floodplain soilscapes act as temporary sinks in the environment and are nowadays affected by multiple contaminant accumulations and exposures, including different trace metals and plastics. Despite increasing knowledge about the occurrence and behaviour of plastics at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial systems, there are still major uncertainties about the spatial distribution of plastics, their sources and deposition, as well as spatial relationships with other contaminants. Our recent case study addresses these questions, using the example of a river system ranging from rural to urban areas. Based on a geospatial sampling approach we obtained data about soil properties, metal contents via ICP-MS analyses, and particle-based (171 μm – 52 mm) plastic contents, analysed using sodium chloride density separation, visual fluorescence identification and ATR-FTIR analysis. We found plastic contents of 0.00–35.82 p kg− 1 and zero to moderate metal enrichments. Levels of both contaminations occur in the lower range of known concentrations in floodplain soils and show a different spatial distribution along the river course and in the floodplain cross-section. Furthermore, we found that plastic enrichment occurs in the uppermost soil layers, while trace metal enrichment is equally distributed over depth, indicating different sources like flood dynamics and agricultural practice during different deposition periods. Finally, direct short to long-term anthropogenic impacts, like floodplain restoration or tillage may affect plastic enrichments, raising questions for future research directions within floodplain soilscapes.

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“…Possible older sources of heavy metal enrichment may include mining in the headwaters of the Nidda River (Vogelsberg mountains: iron ore and basalt mining), as well as early industrial metal processing throughout the river catchment (Hürkamp et al, 2009;Dudka and Adriano, 1997). Mining and metal industry represent one of the main sources of historical heavy metal enrichment in river floodplains before, and especially during the Industrial Revolution from the 1850s onwards (Kern et al, 2021). In contrast, recent sources could be related to wastewater treatment plants, industrial and traffic discharges as point sources, or uptake of polluted legacy sediments, as well as erosion on agricultural land (Alloway, 2013;Martin, 2015;Pejman et al, 2015;Hahn et al, 2016).…”

Section: Heavy Metal Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

Meso- and microplastic distribution and spatial connections to heavy metal contaminations in highly cultivated and urbanised floodplain soilscapes – a case study from the Nidda River (Germany)

Weber

Opp

Prume

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Abstract. Floodplain soilscapes act as temporary sinks in the environment and are nowadays affected by multiple contaminant accumulations and exposures, including heavy metals and (micro-)plastics. Despite increasing knowledge of the occurrence and behaviour of (micro-)plastics at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial systems, there are still major uncertainties about the spatial distribution of plastics, their sources and deposition, as well as spatial relationships with other contaminants. Our recent case study addresses these questions, using the example of a river system ranging from rural to urban areas. Based on a geospatial sampling approach we obtained data about soil properties, heavy metal contents via ICP-MS analyses, and particle-based (171 µm–52 mm) plastic contents, analysed using sodium chloride density separation, visual fluorescence identification and ATR-FTIR analysis. We found plastic contents of 0.00–35.82 p kg−1 and heavy metal enrichment (Enrichment factor 1.1–5.9). Levels of both contaminations occur in the lower range of known concentrations and show a different spatial distribution along the river course and in the floodplain cross-section. Furthermore, we found that plastic enrichment occurs in the uppermost soil layers, while heavy metal enrichment is located at greater depths, indicating different sources and deposition periods. Finally, direct short to long-term anthropogenic impacts, like floodplain restoration or tillage may affect plastic enrichments, raising questions for future floodplain management.

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Persistent, multi-sourced lead contamination in Central Europe since the Bronze Age recorded in the Füramoos peat bog, Germany

Cited by 11 publications

References 70 publications

Ecological impacts of the industrial revolution in a lowland raised peat bog near Manchester, NW England

Ecological impacts of the industrial revolution in a lowland raised peat bog near Manchester, NW England

Meso- and microplastic distribution and spatial connections to metal contaminations in highly cultivated and urbanised floodplain soilscapes – a case study from the Nidda River (Germany)

Meso- and microplastic distribution and spatial connections to heavy metal contaminations in highly cultivated and urbanised floodplain soilscapes – a case study from the Nidda River (Germany)

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