Two Millennia of Pb Pollution Related to Altiplano Metallurgical Activities and Leaded Gasoline in South America from Illimani Ice Core

Abstract:

The exploitation of the extended polymetallic deposits of the Altiplano in South America led to significant emissions of the neurotoxic Pb into the atmosphere already since pre-Colonial times. Long-term histories of Pb pollution in Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, and North America suggest that within the Northern Hemisphere emissions from metallurgy and coal combustion are minor compared to that from leaded gasoline during the second half of the 20th century. However, there is no equivalent data for Southern America.

Here we present the first comprehensive, high-resolution two millennia Pb emission history for South America, based on an ice core record from Illimani glacier in Bolivia. Illimani is the highest mountain of the eastern Bolivian Andes and is located at the northeastern margin of the Bolivian Altiplano. The 2000 year ice-core based decadal Pb deposition history revealed highest Pb Enrichment Factors (EFs) during the period 1965-85. Metallurgical processing for silver production during periods of the Tiwanaku culture (400-900 AD), the Inca empire (1450-1532 AD), colonial times (1532-1900 AD), and the tin production at the beginning of the 20th century were identified as major sources for enhanced Pb EFs before the 1960s. Gasoline related Pb emissions in 1965-85, however, led to a threefold increase of the Pb EFs compared to the emission level from metal production, considerably preceding those of the past 2000 years.  This finding is complementary to the local air pollution signal preserved in lake sediments and in good agreement with various studies from the Northern Hemisphere.