Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The lead content of atmospheric aerosols above the eastern channel: seasonal variability and solubility in a coastal seawater

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to describe the seasonal variability of the atmospheric lead concentrations above the Eastern Channel, aerosols samples have been collected by bulk filtration at the Cape Gris-Nez (Dover Strait) during one year. A statistical analysis of the obtained time-series from lead concentrations and rain amounts illustrates the geochemical implications of a scavenging process: when precipitations become lower than the average rain events, the lead concentrations become higher than the mean values and reciprocally. On a global scale, the lead concentrations over the Eastern Channel and the Southern Bight of the North Sea have decreased by about one order of magnitude since fifteen years. Lead concentrations have been compared to the origin of the collected air masses. The use of the back-trajectories permits us to classify the origins of the air masses among five geographical sectors relevant to the position of our sampling site: Atlantic Ocean and English Channel; North Sea; British Islands; Southern and Western Europe; Scandinavia and Central Europe. Continental sectors show greater lead concentrations than marine and semi-continental sectors, by a factor of about 3 to 7. These results are in a good agreement with the assumption according to which the atmospheric lead is mainly associated with emissions from heavy industrialised and urbanised areas, especially from automotive origin. Under our experimental conditions, the solubility in a coastal seawater for 'continental' lead is different from the one of 'maritime' lead. These dissolution experiments are developed in order to ultimately answer to the questions 'how does the dry fall-out scatter into the upper layer of the seawater mass, regarding as a chemical system?' and more particularly 'what is the part of the heavy metals transported via the atmosphere which is rapidly transferred into the dissolved phase, i.e. under a labile form potentially available for the interfacial organisms?'

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baeyens, W. & H. Dedeurwaerder, 1991. Particulate trace metals above the southern bight of the North Sea. IIOrigin and behaviour of the trace metals. Atmos. Envir. 25A: 1077–1092.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bergametti, G., A. L. Dutot, P. Buat-Ménard, R. Losno & E. Remoudaki, 1989. Seasonal variability of the elemental composition of atmospheric aerosol particles over the northwestern Mediterranean. Tellus, 41B: 353–361.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouchereau, J. M., 1992. Estimation des émissions atmosphériques de métaux lourds en France pour le Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb et Zn. C.I.T.E.P.A., Paris: 82 pp.

  • BuatMenard, P., 1993. Global Changes in Atmospheric Metal Cycles. InHewitt, C.N.&W. T. Sturges (eds), GlobalAtmospheric Chemical Change. Chapmann & Hall, London: 271–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capodaglio, G., G. Scarponi, G. Toscano, C. Barbante & P. Cescon, 1995. Speciation of trace metals in seawater by anodic stripping voltammetry: Critical analytical steps. Fresenius J. Anal. Chem. 351: 386–392.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chester, R., 1990. Marine Geochemistry, Chapman & Hall, London, 680 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chester, R. & G. F. Bradshaw, 1991. Source control on the distribution of particulate trace metals in the North Sea atmosphere. Mar. Poll. Bull. 22: 30–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chester, R., K. T. J. Murphy, J. F. Lin, A. S. Berry, G.A. Bradshaw & P. Corcoran, 1993. Factors controlling the solubilities of trace metals from nonremote aerosols deposited to the sea surface by the 'dry' deposition mode, Mar. Chem. 42: 107–126.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Church, T., A. Veron, C. Patterson & D. Settle, 1992. Trace Metal Scavenging from the North Atlantic Troposphere. In Schwartz, S. E. & W. G. N. Slinn (eds), Proceedings of the 5th Int. Conf. on Precipitation, Scavenging andAtmosphereSurface Exchange, Vol. 1, Hemisphere Publish. Corp., Washington: 433–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dannecker, W., H. Hinzpeter, H.J. Kirzel, H. Luthardt, M. Kriews, K. Naumann, M. Schulz, M. Schwikowski, M. Steiger & U. Terzenbach, 1994. Atmospheric transport of contaminants, their ambient concentration and input into the North Sea. In Sündermann, J. (ed), Circulation and contaminant fluxes in the North Sea, SpringerVerlag, Berlin: 138–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davison, W., S. J. De Mora, R. M. Harrison & S. Wilson, 1987. pH and ionic strength dependence of the ASV response of cadmium, lead and zinc in solutions with simulate natural waters. Sci. Total Envir. 60: 35–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiazCruz, J. M., M. Esteban, M. A. Van den Hoop & H. P. Van Leeuwen, 1992. Stripping voltammetry of metal complexes: interferences from adsorption onto cell components. Anal. Chem. 64: 1769–1776.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duce R. A., P. S. Liss, J. T. Merill, E. L. Atlas, P. Buat Ménard, B. B. Hicks, J. M. Miller, J. M. Prospero, R. Arimoto, T. M. Church, W. Ellis, J. N. Galloway, L. Hansen, T. D. Jickells, A. H. Knapp, K. H. Reinhardt, B. Schneider, A. Soudine, J. J. Tokos, S. Tsunogai, R. Wollast & M. Zhou, 1991. The atmospheric input of trace species to the world ocean. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 5: 193–259.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flament, P., 1985. Les métaux traces associés aux aérosols atmosphériques: apport aumilieu marin du littoral NordPas de Calais. Thèse de 3ème cycle, Lille, 175 pp.

  • Flament, P.,M.-L. Bertho, K. Deboudt& E. Puskaric, 1996. Changes in the lead content of atmospheric aerosols above the Eastern Channel between 1982–83 and 1994. Sci. Total Envir. 192: 193–206.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giusti, L., Y.-L. Yang, C. N. Hewitt, J. Hamilton Taylor & W. Davison, 1993. The solubility and partitioning of atmospherically derived trace metals in artificial and natural waters: a review. Atmos. Envir. 27A: 1567–1578.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giusti, L., J. Hamilton Taylor, W. Davison & C. N. Hewitt, 1994. Artefacts in sorption experiments with trace metals. Sci. Total Envir. 152: 227–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grimaldi F., H. Bascou, A. Viala, E. Muls, N. Esberard & S. Casabianca, 1993. Action du comité Marseille Provence de l'APPA en matière d'étude des polluants métalliques de l'atmosphère. Pollut. Atmos. 139: 98–103.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge, V., S. R. Johnson & E. D. Goldberg, 1978. Influence of atmospherically transported aerosols on surface oceanwater composition. Geochem. J. 12: 7–20.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ibanez, F., J. M. Fromentin & J. Castel, 1993. Application de la méthode des sommes cumulées à l'analyse des séries chronologiques océanographiques. C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Sciences de la Vie, 316: 745–748.

    Google Scholar 

  • Injuk, J. & R. Van Grieken, 1995. Atmospheric concentrations and deposition of heavymetals over theNorth Sea: a litterature review. J. Atmos. Chem. 20: 1567–1578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffrezo, J. L. & J. L. Colin, 1988. Rain aerosol coupling in urban area: scavenging ratio measurement and identification of some transfer processes. Atmos. Envir. 22: 929–935.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, M., 1976. Time series, Charles Griffin & Co Ltd, London, 197 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kersten, M., M. Kriews & U. Förstner, 1991. Partitioning of trace metals released frompolluted marine aerosols in coastal seawater. Mar. Chem. 36: 165–182.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Legendre, L. & P. Legendre, 1984. Ecologie numérique, 2, Masson, Presses de l'Université duQuébec, Paris, Québec, 335 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lilliefors, H.W., 1967. The KolmogorovSmirnov test for normality with mean and variance unknown. J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 62: 399–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lim B., T. D. Jickells, J. L. Colin & R. Losno, 1994. Solubilities of Al, Pb, Cu and Zn in rain sampled in the marine environment over the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 8: 349–362.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mann, H. R. & D. R. Whitney, 1947. On a test whether one of two random variables is stochastically larger than the other. Ann. Math. Stat. 18: 52–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Migon, C., 1988. Etude de l'apport atmosphérique en métaux traces et sels nutritifs au milieu côtier méditerranéen: implications biogéochimiques. Thèse de Doctorat, Nice, 217 pp.

  • Migon, C., L. Alleman, N. Leblond & E. Nicolas, 1993. Evolution of atmospheric lead over the northwestern Mediterranean Sea between 1986 and 1992. Atmos. Envir. 27A: 2161–2167.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Migon, C., E. Jourdan, E. Nicolas & B. Gentili, 1994. Effects of reduced leaded fuel consumption on atmospheric lead behaviour. Chemosphere 28: 139–144.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • North Sea Task Force, 1993. North Sea Quality Status Report. Oslo and Paris Commissions, London. Olsen & Olsen, Fredensborg, Denmark, 132 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otten, P., H. Storms, C. Xhoffer & R. Van Grieken, 1989. Chemical composition, source identification and quantification of the atmospheric input into the North Sea. In Pichot, G. (ed), Progress in Belgian Oceanographic Research. Prime Minister's Services of Science Policy Office & Ministry of Public Health and Environment, Brussels: 413–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ottley, C. J. & R. M. Harrison, 1993. Atmospheric dry deposition flux of metallic species to the North Sea. Atmos. Envir. 27A: 685–695.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahn, K. A., 1976. The chemical composition of the atmosphere aerosol. Technical Report. University of Rhode Island, 265 pp.

  • Scherrer, B., 1984. Biostatistique, Gaëtan Morin Editeur, Québec, 850 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, S. & N. J. Castellan, 1988. Nonparametric statistics, Mac GrawHill, NewYork, 399 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S. R., 1964. Abundance of chemical elements in the continental crust: a new table. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 28: 1273–1285.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Jaarsveld, J. A., 1993. Atmospheric inputs to the North Sea and coastal waters. J. IWEM, 7: 24–31.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Veron, A., P. Flament, M.L. Bertho, L. Alleman, R. Flegal & B. Hamelin. Lead isotopic characterisation of transient anthropogenic emissions to the European Troposphere. Atmos. Envir. (in press).

Download references

Authors
  1. Marie-Laure Bertho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karine Deboudt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pascal Flament
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Emile Puskaric
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bertho, ML., Deboudt, K., Flament, P. et al. The lead content of atmospheric aerosols above the eastern channel: seasonal variability and solubility in a coastal seawater. Hydrobiologia 373, 317–332 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017085104589

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017085104589

Search

Navigation