Po-210 and Pb-210 as atmospheric tracers and global atmospheric Pb-210 fallout: a Review

A B S T R A C TThis study aims at analysing the latitudinal variability of both the yearly and seasonal pattern of 7 Be shows a clear increasing tendency in the period and generally tends to increase with decreasing latitude. The seasonal pattern generally shows maxima during the warm period and minima during the cold one. The seasonal variogram analysis points out a good spatial correlation for TPH data while a weaker one is observed for 7 Be, having TPH a larger influence on 7 Be during summer. The influence of TPH on 7 Be exhibits a large spatial variability, with a clear gap between south and north in the area of the polar front jet. The results identify the presence of two main groups, in particular separating between stations located in northern Europe (50 8N and higher) and stations in southern Europe (south of 50 8N). A similar behaviour for stations located in the same geographical area is also observed when looking at the day of maximum impact of TPH on 7Be concentrations. The results suggest that 7 Be concentrations respond in different time ranges to changes in the TPH, observing seasonal differences in each group. These results represent the first European approach to the understanding of the TPH impact on 7 Be concentrations at surface levels.

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“…surface air (Baskaran, 2011), being estimated mean residence times in the troposphere from 18 to 23 d (e.g. Koch et al, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonality of <sup>7</sup>Be concentrations in Europe and influence of tropopause height

Hernández-Ceballos

Brattich

Cinelli

et al. 2016

Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology

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“…Because of the low 226 Ra content in the surface waters, 222 Rn emanation rates from the continent are about two orders of magnitude higher than that of the ocean. [2]. The practically exclusive formation mechanism of airborne 210 Pb facilitates its use as a tracer for air masses with a continental or maritime origin in the polar region [3] and the Southwestern region of Spain [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurements of Lead-210 Activity Concentration in the Ground-Level Air in Finland and Bulgaria

Paatero¹,

Veleva²,

Hristova³

et al. 2017

RadJ

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Abstract. Airborne lead-210 is a useful tracer for studying air mass origin and transport. 210 Pb is produced in the atmosphere by the decay of the radioactive noble gas 222 Rn, emanating after 226 Ra decay from the earth crust. The results obtained for 210 Pb concentration in total suspended particulate (TSP) display seasonal pattern with maximum in the summer-autumn period. The TSP filters are collected within the scope of atmospheric radioactivity monitoring in NIMH, Bulgaria and were measured initially for short and long lived beta radionuclides. The methodology developed in FMI, Finland, based on gross alpha counting of 210 Po-the daughter of the combined aerosol filters samples collected in Sofia during the period 2001 -2003 and 2006-2007, is applied. The first results for 210 Pb in particulate matter, fraction below 10 μm (PM10), in February 2012 in Sofia are presented. The alpha counting methodology was successfully applied for daily PM10 quartz filters with the counting uncertainty value of ≤20%. Lead-210 daily concentration is compared to the PM10 mass concentration and elemental lead concentration, determined by EDXRF technique. The comparison between 210 Pb, elemental lead and PM10 mass concentration reveals a different time variation for days with cyclonic weather and mass transport from south-west and an anticyclone episode with increasing PM10, lead-210 and lead concentrations from day to day. An increase in the PM10/ 210 Pb ratio indicates local sources of the particulate mass.

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“…Be-7 cosmogenic isotope [38][39][40][41][42] and Pb-210 isotope [43][44][45] are used to study the transport of aerosols in the atmosphere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lifetime of aerosols was estimated based on the Po-210/Pb-210 ratio [44][45][46]. The main objective of the studies was to assess the possibility of using lead isotope (Pb-210) as an indicator of pollutants' migration in the environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thanks to them, it was possible, inter alia, to determine the age of the solar system and the Earth's crust. Using the Ar-39/Ar-40 and K-40/Ar-40 isotope ratios, it is possible to determine the age of rocks containing potassium minerals [37].Be-7 cosmogenic isotope [38][39][40][41][42] and Pb-210 isotope [43][44][45] are used to study the transport of aerosols in the atmosphere.The lifetime of aerosols was estimated based on the Po-210/Pb-210 ratio [44][45][46]. The main objective of the studies was to assess the possibility of using lead isotope (Pb-210) as an indicator of pollutants' migration in the environment.…”

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confidence: 99%

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The Use Of Pb-210 Isotope As An Indicator Of Pollutants’ Migration In The Environment

Dołhańczuk-Śródka

2015

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S

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Radioactive isotopes, both natural and artificial, present in the environment, may be convenient indicators that can be used to study many physical and chemical processes as well as the transport of pollutants in the ecosystem. The studies have shown that in identification of particulate matter emission sources a radioactive lead isotope (Pb-210) can be used. The Pb-210 increased activity concentration in the top soil layers suggests its current atmospheric deposition. This conclusion is confirmed by the results of the Principal Components Analysis, conducted using the measured radionuclide content in 0-30 cm deep soil layer samples. Keywords: Pb-210, pollutant emission indicator IntroductionRadioactivity is not only a source of human exposure, but it also has many practical applications. Using the properties of radioactive isotopes, it is possible, for example, to generate electricity, test materials, diagnose and treat people. Radioisotopes are also used in environmental studies [1].Radioactive isotopes are used, inter alia, to study the mechanisms and dynamics of the processes in soil and plants , to determine the age of rocks, minerals, sediments and soil (eg C-14, U-238, U-235 and Th-232), to study the circulation of elements and their radioactive isotopes in the food chain and in the monitoring studies (natural isotopes, eg K-40, U-238, or artificial isotopes, [1].The examples of monitoring studies include the assessment of the activity of caesium isotopes in surface soil in spatial terms [2][3][4][5].Radioactive isotopes are also used in laboratory testing of processes under controlled conditions, which makes it possible to describe them and to assess the behavior in the environment. The use of these methods is presented, inter alia, in sample Australian studies 1 Independent Chair of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Opole University, ul. kard. B. Kominka 6, 45-035 Opole, Poland, phone +48 77 401 60 46, email: agna@uni.opole.pl Unauthenticated Download Date | 5/8/18 5:37 AM Agnieszka Dołhańczuk-Śródka 380 [6]. The use of Cs-134, Sr-85 and Zn-65 made it possible to determine the penetration of radioactive fallout into tropical soil. were used to identify the mechanism and dynamics of trace metal bonding in port sediments.Radioactive isotopes present in the environment, such as Th-234, Be-7, Pb-210, Cs-137, Si-32 and C-14, were used to study present-day sedimentation in seas and oceans. Th-234 and Be-7 isotopes are used, inter alia, in bioturbation and sedimentation studies in the high material supply conditions [7,8].Pb-210 isotope is most commonly used to determine the rate of marine [9] and lacustrine [10-14] sediment increase, but also to identify the rate of snow cover increase. The lead method was also used in Alpine glacier studies [15,16].Cs-137 is used, as a time marker, very often together with Pb-210, to determine the age of lacustrine sediments. The literature review shows that Cs-137 may be used to determine the rate of deposition of overbank [17,18], lacustrine and delta [19,...

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Po-210 and Pb-210 as atmospheric tracers and global atmospheric Pb-210 fallout: a Review

Cited by 285 publications

References 99 publications

Seasonality of <sup>7</sup>Be concentrations in Europe and influence of tropopause height

Seasonality of <sup>7</sup>Be concentrations in Europe and influence of tropopause height

Measurements of Lead-210 Activity Concentration in the Ground-Level Air in Finland and Bulgaria

The Use Of Pb-210 Isotope As An Indicator Of Pollutants’ Migration In The Environment

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