Attribution of sources to metal accumulation in an alpine tarn, the Snowy Mountains, Australia

Authors

Nicola Stromsoe, University of Queensland
J Nikolaus Callow, University of Western Australia
Hamish A. McGowan, University of Queensland
Samuel K. Marx, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

80726

Publication Details

Stromsoe, N., Callow, J. Nikolaus., McGowan, H. A. & Marx, S. K. (2013). Attribution of sources to metal accumulation in an alpine tarn, the Snowy Mountains, Australia. Environmental Pollution, 181 133-143.

Abstract

This study analyses 1800 years of heavy metal accumulation in a remote alpine lake experiencing long-range atmospheric contamination and additional inputs of Ag from cloud seeding. In comparison to previous work undertaken on peats, lake sediments show limited post-industrial metal enrichment with enrichment factors of Ag: 1.3, Pb: 1.3, Zn: 1.1, Cu: 1.2 compared to Ag: 2.2, Pb: 3.3, Zn: 2.1, Cu: 4.1 for peat. We show this to be the result of substantial fluvial lithogenic flux of metals (92-97% of total metal flux) to the lake. Total annual metal flux to the lake ranges from: Ag: 4-12 ng/cm2/yr to Zn: 3 383-11 313 ng/cm2/yr. As a result, any contribution of cloud seeding to additional enrichment of Ag in lake sediments is considered negligible. Results show that metal enrichment is not necessarily ubiquitous through a landscape. This has implications for predicting the impacts of atmospheric metal pollution to complex environmental systems.