Black coral as a new environmental recorder: The lead profiles in coral skeletons over the past century

• Pb profile in black coral was firstly measured by SR μ-XRF with 2.5 μm resolution.
• SR μ-XRF was efficient for the determination of Pb variation in organic skeleton.
• Pb profile was related to human activities, mainly by war and economic development.
• Pb in black corals showed higher nearshore and lower offshore.
• Black coral may serve as a new potential environmental Pb recorder.

Lead (Pb) is a typical heavy metal pollutant in the environment, and most Pb contamination comes from human activities. In the present work, the Pb contents of two black coral specimens (Cirrhipathes spp.) collected from the northern South China Sea were measured by synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (SR μ-XRF) analysis with 2.5 μm resolution. The results showed that sample SY-1 from the Sanya Bay (near the continent) exhibited higher Pb levels and greater fluctuations than sample XS-1 from the Xisha Islands (off the continent), reflecting the influence of terrestrial input and atmospheric deposition in coastal surface seawater. The present work also demonstrated that the Pb profile in black coral nearshore was highly influenced by human activities, mainly by war and economic development. Thus, black coral may serve as a new potential environmental Pb recorder with SR μ-XRF analytical technology.

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