Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Origin of sulphur in Canadian Arctic haze from isotope measurements

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

SINCE the mid-1950s, there has been a marked increase in levels of air pollution in the Arctic region1–3. This is apparent from the pervasive haze that has been detected over large areas of the Northern Hemisphere3–6, which can cover up to 9% of the Earth's surface. The haze is most pronounced during January to April, and is characterized by a reduction in visibility and anomalously high levels of organic and inorganic compounds of the type found in polluted environments3,6,7. Most of the present knowledge about the origin of the chemical constituents of the haze comes from studies of elemental ratios and trajectory analyses2,4,6,7. Here we report the results of an analysis of the isotopic composition of sulphur in the Arctic haze. We find that most of the sulphur in the haze comes from Europe rather than from more local anthropogenic or biogenic sources, indicating that this form of air pollution becomes distributed globally.

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

  1. Mitchell, J. M. J. atmos. terr. Phys. Spec. Suppl. Part 1, 195–211 (1957).

  2. Shaw, G. E. & Khalil, M. A. K. in The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry Vol. 4, Part B (ed. Hutzinger, O.) 69–111 (Springer, Berlin, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Barrie, L. A. Atmos. Envir. 20, 643–663 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Rahn, K. A. & McCaffrey, R. J. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 338, 486–503 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Heintzenberg, J., Hansson, H. C. & Lannefors, H. Tellus 33, 162–171 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Barrie, L. A. & Barrie, M. J. J. atmos. Chem. 11, 211–226 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Li, S. M. & Winchester, J. W. J. geophys. Res. 95, 13897–13908 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Barrie, L. A., Hoff, R. M. & Daggupaty, S. M. Atmos. Envir. 15, 1407–1419 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Barrie, L. A., den Hartog, G. & Bottenheim, J. W. J. atmos. Chem. 9, 101–127 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nriagu, J. O. & Coker, R. D. Tellus 30, 365–375 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Nriagu, J. O. & Soon, Y. K. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 49, 823–834 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Heidam, N. Z. Adv. envir. Sci. Technol. 17, 267–293 (1986).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Pacyna, J. M., Ottar, B., Tamza, U. & Maenhaut, W. Atmos. Envir. 19, 857–865 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Blanchet, J. M. & List, R. Tellus B39, 293–317 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Hofmann, D. J. et al. Nature 340, 117–121 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sturges, W. T. & Barrie, L. A. Atmos. Envir. 23, 2513–2519 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Iversen, T. Atmos. Envir. 23, 2571–2595 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Nriagu, J. O., Holdway, D. A. & Coker, R. D. Science 237, 1189–1192 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Holt, B., Engelkemeir, A. & Venters, A. Envir. Sci. Technol. 6, 338–341 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Saltzman, E. S., Brass, G. & Price, D. Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 2195–2199 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wadleigh, M. A. thesis, McMaster Univ. (1988).

  22. van Stempvoort, D. thesis, Univ. of Waterloo (1989).

  23. Iverson, T. & Joranger, E. Atmos. Envir. 19, 2099–2120 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Pacyna, J. M. & Ottar, B. Atmos. Envi. 23, 809–815 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Lowethal, D. H. & Rahn, K. A. Atmos. Envir. 19, 2011–2024 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Barrie, L. A., Olson, M. P. & Oikawa, K. K. Atmos. Envir. 23, 2505–2512 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Li, S. M. & Winchester, J. W. Atmos. Envir. 23, 2387–2399 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Li, S. M. & Winchester, J. W. Atmos. Envir. 23, 2401–2415 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Maenhaut, W., Cornille, P., Pacyna, J. M. & Vitols, V. Atmos. Envir. 23, 2551–2569 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Grinenko, A. G. in The Global Biogeochemical Sulfur Cycle (eds Ivanov, M. V. & Freney, J. R.) 278–282 (Wiley, Chichester, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Chukhrov, F. V., Ermilova, L. P., Churikov, V. P. & Nosik, L. P. Org. Geochem. 2, 69–75 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Erickson, D. J., Ghan, S. J. & Penner, J. E. J. geophys. Res. 95, 7543–7552 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Water Research Institute, Box 5050, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7R 4A6

    Jerome O. Nriagu & Robert D. Coker

  2. Atmospheric Environment Service, 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, Ontario, Canada, M3H 5T4

    Len A. Barrie

Authors
  1. Jerome O. Nriagu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert D. Coker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Len A. Barrie
    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

Nriagu, J., Coker, R. & Barrie, L. Origin of sulphur in Canadian Arctic haze from isotope measurements. Nature 349, 142–145 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/349142a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/349142a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation