Lead and Lead Isotopes in Agricultural Soils of Europe – The Continental Perspective

Clemens Reimann;Belinda Flem;Karl Fabian;Manfred Birke;Anna Ladenberger;Philippe Négrel;Alecos Demetriades;Jurian Hoogewerff;S. Albanese;M. Andersson;A. Arnoldussen;R. Baritz;M. J. Batista;A. Bel lan;M. Birke;D. Cicchella;A. Demetriades;E. Dinelli;B. De Vivo;W. De Vos;M. Duris;A. Dusza Dobek;O. A. Eggen;M. Eklund;V. Ernstsen;P. Filzmoser;T. E. Finne;D. Flight;S. Forrester;M. Fuchs;U. Fugedi;A. Gilucis;M. Gosar;V. Gregorauskiene;A. Gulan;J. Halamid;E. Haslinger;P. Hayoz;G. Hobiger;R. Hoffmann;J. Hoogewerff;H. Hrvatovic;S. Husnjak;L. Janik;C. C. Johnson;G. Jordan;J. Kirby;J. Kivisilla;V. Klos;F. Krone;P. Kwecko;L. Kuti;A. Ladenberger;A. Lima;J. Locutura;P. Lucivjansky;D. Mackovych;B. I. Malyuk;R. Maquil;M. McLaughlin;R. G. Meuli;N. Miosic;G. Mol;P. Négrel;P. O'Connor;K. Oorts;R. T. Ottesen;A. Pasieczna;V. Petersell;Pfleiderer, S.;M. Poňavič;C. Prazeres;U. Rauch;C. Reimann;I. Salpeteur;A. Schedl;A. Scheib;I. Schoeters;P. Sefcik;E. Sellersjö;F. Skopljak;I. Slaninka;A. Šorša;R. Srvkota;T. Stafilov;T. Tarvainen;V. Trendavilov;VALERA, PAOLO;V. Verougstraete;D. Vidojevid;A. M. Zissimos;Z. Zomeni

2012-01-01

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Abstract

Lead isotopes are widely used for age dating, for tracking sources of melts, sediments, Pb products, food and animals and for studying atmospheric Pb contamination. For the first time, a map of a Pb isotope landscape at the continental-scale is presented. Agricultural soil samples (A p-horizon, 0-20cm) collected at an average density of 1 site/2500km 2 were analysed for Pb concentration and Pb isotopes ( 206Pb, 207Pb, 208Pb). Lead concentrations vary from 1.6 to 1309mg/kg, with a median of 16mg/kg. Isotopic ratios of 206Pb/ 207Pb range from 1.116 to 1.727 with a median of 1.202. The new data define the soil geochemical Pb background for European agricultural soil, providing crucial information for geological, environmental and forensic sciences, public health, environmental policy and mineral exploration. The European continental-scale patterns of Pb concentrations and Pb isotopes show a high variability dominated by geology and influenced by climate. Lead concentration anomalies mark most of the known mineralised areas throughout Europe. Some local Pb anomalies have a distinct anthropogenic origin.