Historical lead pollution in the central region of Guizhou province, China: A record of lead stable isotopes of lake sediments

Economic reform in China since 1978 has accelerated economic development nationwide hugely, but has also brought about some environmental pollution. In order to identify the primary Pb source to the atmosphere in the central Guizhou region, Pb isotopic ratios in the acid soluble fraction of sediment from Hongfeng Lake were investigated. Lead isotopes in the lake sediments record the history of regional atmospheric Pb pollution. Before the economic reform in 1978, the 208Pb/206Pb and 206Pb/207Pb ratios in the leachates of lake sediments were constant, with a range of 2.0060 to 2.0117 and of 1.2314 to 1.2355, respectively. In the early period of economic reform (1978 to 1988), with the rapid industrial growth in Guizhou province, the acid soluble Pb isotope ratios in the lake sediments changed sharply: the 208Pb/206Pb ratios increased from 2.0212 to about 2.05, while the 206Pb/207Pb ratios decreased from 1.2251 to 1.2060. Emissions from Pb-ore-related industries are suggested to be the major pollution source of Pb in this period. Due to output from a local power plant since 1988, the isotope ratios of the acid soluble Pb in sediments in 1990s are characterized by a little higher radiogenic Pb (208Pb/206Pb = 2.0340–2.0400; 206Pb/207Pb = 1.2122–1.2158) than for the 1980s.