| Characterization of Lead Pollution Near Zinc Smelter Facility in South Korea using Lead Stable Isotopes |
| 납 안정동위원소를 이용한 아연제련시설 인근지역의 납 오염 특성 |
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유석민1, 김영희2 |
1국립환경과학원 화학물질연구과
2국립환경과학원 |
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| Abstract |
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This study was conducted to evaluate lead(Pb) pollution near a zinc smelter using Pb stable isotopes as environmental tracers. Environmental samples such as air particles, precipitation, soils, conifer leaves, and tree rings were analyzed; input and output materials were also collected from the zinc smelter. The 207Pb/206Pb ratios of the output materials from the zinc smelter were in the range of 0.865-0.881, and plotted on a mixing line with zinc ores from South America and Australia as the two end-members. The 207Pb/206Pb ratios of air particles, precipitation, and conifer leaves were in the ranges of 0.822-0.887, 0.853-0.882, and 0.866-0.877, respectively, and fall within the line attributed to the smelter. In contrast, the 207Pb/206Pb ratios of soils fell within a broader range of 0.694-0.893. Soils with a higher 207Pb/206Pb ratio of 0.850 were plotted on the smelter line and showed high Pb concentrations of 207.5±141.9 mg/kg. Soils with a lower 207Pb/206Pb ratio of 0.850 were plotted on the Korean ore line and showed low Pb concentrations of 60.5±44.2 mg/kg. The 207Pb/206Pb ratios of tree rings showed an increasing trend toward the isotopic composition of emission gases, implying that the source of Pb pollution changed from the local mine to the zinc smelter. |
| Key Words:
Lead, Stable isotope, Zinc smelter, Environmental tracer, Environmental pollution |
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