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Natural versus anthropogenic influence on trace elemental concentration in precipitation at Dokriani Glacier, central Himalaya, India

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Abstract

Atmospheric pollutant transport and deposition at the Himalaya affects the climate, cryosphere, and monsoon patterns and impose an adverse impact over the Himalayan ecosystem. At present, the data on trace elements (TEs) concentrations and dynamics over the high-altitude Himalayan region are scarce and has received less attention. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the TEs concentration and depositional pattern at Dokriani Glacier, central Himalaya to understand their levels, dynamics, and potential effects. A total of 39 samples were collected from two snowpit stratigraphies, deposited during non-monsoon period and monsoonal precipitation between 4530 to 4630 m a.s.l. altitude in the year 2017. The results of analyzed trace metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Sr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, As, and Pb) showed high enrichment values for Zn, Cr, Co, Ni and Mn compared to other parts of the Himalayan region, suggesting the influence of anthropogenic emissions (e.g., fossil fuel, metal production, and industrial processes) from urbanized areas of South Asia. Our results also revealed the possible health effects related to the enrichment of Zn and Cd, which may be responsible for skin-related diseases in Uttarakhand region. We attribute increasing anthropogenic activities in the environment to have a significant impact on the ecosystem health of the central Himalayan region. This study provides the baseline information on TEs concentration and sources in the Himalayas, which needs wide dissemination to scientific community as well as policymakers. Therefore, systematic observations, management, and preparing action plan to overcome the health effects from TEs pollution are urgently needed over the remote, pristine Himalayan region.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, and National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee for providing all necessary facilities. Shipika Sundriyal acknowledges the Women Scientist scheme support by Department of Science and Technology, project no. SR/WOS-A/EA-44/2016. Lekhendra Tripathee acknowledges the Chinese Academy of Sciences, for international Young staff support under PIFI (2020FYC0001) program. We also thank anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestion. Authors gratefully acknowledge all the field staff at Dokriani Glacier and help in collecting samples.

Funding

This study is fully funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental and Hydrology Division, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, 247667, India

    Shipika Sundriyal

  2. Indian Institute of Technology, Kalyanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India

    Tanuj Shukla

  3. State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, China

    Lekhendra Tripathee

  4. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 GMS Road, Dehradun, 248001, India

    Dwarika Prashad Dobhal

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  1. Shipika Sundriyal
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Correspondence to Shipika Sundriyal.

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Sundriyal, S., Shukla, T., Tripathee, L. et al. Natural versus anthropogenic influence on trace elemental concentration in precipitation at Dokriani Glacier, central Himalaya, India. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 3462–3472 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07102-w

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