Tracing the sources of sulfur in Beijing soils with stable sulfur isotopes

•The stable sulfur isotopic compositions are reported for the Beijing soil.•Anthropogenic sources, coal combustion and atmospheric deposition are the main sources for the soil sulfur.•S-isotopes can distinguish industrial from non-industrial soil profiles.

Stable sulfur isotope analyses were applied in order to trace local sulfur sources and to identify sulfur turnover rates in Beijing soil. Anthropogenic sources and atmospheric deposition are the main processes responsible for the occurrence of sulfide, organic and sulfate sulfur in three soil profiles located in the vicinity of a steel company in Beijing, China. This input results in an atypical invariable sulfur isotopic composition along the vertical profiles. The δ34S values of soil sulfate from the industrial area revealed that both the topsoil and deep soil have been affected by industrial activities. Three soil profiles from non-industrial areas displayed vertical patterns in both sulfur abundance and sulfur isotopic composition, indicative for (close to) natural soils.Eight soil profiles collected in Beijing and their vertical distribution of different sulfur species, concentrations and sulfur isotopic compositions reveal both anthropogenic and natural contributions.