Selected trace elements in snowpack on Urumqi Glacier No. 1, eastern Tianshan, China: As yielded by leaching treatment representative of real-world environmental conditions

Abstract

To investigate the seasonal variability and potential environmental significance of trace elements in mountain glaciers, the surface snow and snow pit samples were collected at Urumqi Glacier No. 1 (43°06′N, 86°49′E, 4 130 m a.s.l.), eastern Tianshan (天山), from September 2002 to September 2003, and analyzed for Li, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, and Ba. The samples were acidified (leached) in a manner intended to reasonably approximate the extent to which the natural hydrologic and weathering cycles would liberate elements from mineral grains (dusts) in the ice and snow into the environment. The mean concentrations of Li, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, and Ba are 0.2, 1.1, 0.8, 14.8, 0.1, 0.7, and 3.2 ng/g in surface snow but 1.0, 2.2, 1.8, 92.4, 0.8, 2.9, and 16.2 ng/g in snow pits, respectively. Input varies seasonally: in general, concentrations in the winter are higher than those in the summer. The trace elements are somewhat enriched (relative to expected abundances in material taken directly from the earth’s crust) and similar to what is observed in both pre-industrial and modern atmospheric dusts, although some anthropogenic components from nearby industrial cities may be present. Concentration vertical profiles can be redistributed in the post-depositional process, which may cause loss of trace elements in the summer.

Keywords

trace element / snowpack / post-depositional process / Urumqi Glacier No. 1

References

[1] Aizen V. B., Mayewski P. A., Aizen E. M., . Stable-Isotope and Trace Element Time Series from Fedchenko Glacier (Pamirs) Snow/Firn Cores. Journal of Glaciology, 2009, 55(190): 275-291.

[2] Bajracharya S. R., Mool P. K., Shrestha B. R.. Ranade P. S.. Global Climate Change and Melting of Himalayan Glaciers. Melting Glaciers and Rising Sea Levels: Impacts and Implications, 2008, Hyderabad: Icfai University Press 28 46

[3] Barbante C., Boutron C., Morel C., . Seasonal Variations of Heavy Metals in Central Greenland Snow Deposited from 1991 to 1995. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2003, 5(2): 328-335.

[4] Candelone J. P., Jaffrezo J. L., Hong S. M., . Seasonal Variations in Heavy Metals Concentrations in Present Day Greenland Snow. Science of the Total Environment, 1996, 193(2): 101-110.

[5] Dong Z. W., Li Z. Q., Xiao C. D., . Characteristics of Aerosol Dust in Fresh Snow in the Asian Dust and Non-Dust Periods at Urumqi Glacier No. 1 of Eastern Tian Shan, China. Environmental Earth Sciences, 2010, 60: 1361-1368.

[6] Douglas T. A., Sturm M.. Arctic Haze, Mercury and the Chemical Composition of Snow across Northwestern Alaska. Atmospheric Environment, 2004, 38(6): 805-820.

[7] Duan J. P., Wang L. L., Ren J. W., . Seasonal Variations in Heavy Metals Concentrations in Mt. Qomolangma Region Snow. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2009, 19(2): 249-256.

[8] Fortner S. K., Lyons W. B., Fountain A. G., . Trace Element and Major Ion Concentrations and Dynamics in Glacier Snow and Melt: Eliot Glacier, Oregon Cascades. Hydrological Processes, 2009, 23(21): 2987-2996.

[9] Hinkley T. K., Le Cloarec M. F., Lambert G.. Fractionation of Families of Major, Minor, and Trace Metals across the Melt-Vapor Interface in Volcanic Exhalations. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1994, 58(15): 3255-3263.

[10] Hinkley T., Pertsiger F., Zavjalova L. V.. The Modern Atmospheric Background Dust Load: Recognition in Central Asian Snowpack, and Compositional Constraints. Geophysical Research Letters, 1997, 24(13): 1607-1610.

[11] Hong S. M., Barbante C., Boutron C., . Atmospheric Heavy Metals in Tropical South America during the Past 22 000 Years Recorded in a High Altitude Ice Core from Sajama, Bolivia. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2004, 6(4): 322-326.

[12] Huo W. M., Yao T. D., Li Y. F.. Increasing Atmospheric Pollution Revealed by Pb Record of a 7 000-m Ice Core. Chinese Science Bulletin, 1999, 44(14): 1309-1312.

[13] Hur S. D., Xiao C. D., Hong S. M., . Seasonal Patterns of Heavy Metal Deposition to the Snow on Lambert Glacier Basin, East Antarctica. Atmospheric Environment, 2007, 41(38): 8567-8578.

[14] Jiao K. Q., Jing Z. F., Han T. D., . Variation of the Glacier No. 1 at the Headwaters of the Urumqi River in the Tianshan Mountains during the Past 42 Years and Its Trend Prediction. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 2004, 26(3): 253-260.

[15] Kang S. C., Zhang Q. G., Kaspari S., . Spatial and Seasonal Variations of Elemental Composition in Mt. Everest (Qomolangma) Snow/Firn. Atmospheric Environment, 2007, 41(34): 7208-7218.

[16] Kaspari S., Mayewski P. A., Handley M., . A High-Resolution Record of Atmospheric Dust Composition and Variability since A.D. 1650 from a Mount Everest Ice Core. Journal of Climate, 2009, 22(14): 3910-3925.

[17] Kylander M. E., Weiss D. J., Martinez-Cortizas A., . Refining the Pre-Industrial Atmospheric Pb Isotope Evolution Curve in Europe Using an 8 000 Year Old Peat Core from NW Spain. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2005, 240(2): 467-485.

[18] Lambert G., Ardouin B., Sanak J., . Atmospheric Transport of Trace Elements toward Antarctica. Tellus (B), 1990, 42(1): 76-82.

[19] Lee K., Hur S. D., Hou S. G., . Atmospheric Pollution for Trace Elements in the Remote High-Altitude Atmosphere in Central Asia as Recorded in Snow from Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) of the Himalayas. Science of the Total Environment, 2008, 404(1): 171-181.

[20] Lee, X. Q., Qin, D. H., Jiang, G. B., et al., 2003. Atmospheric Pollution of a Remote Area of Tianshan Mountain: Ice Core Record. Journal of Geophysical Research, 108(D14), doi:10.1029/2002JD002181

[21] Li X. Y., Li Z. Q., Ding Y. J., . Seasonal Variations of pH and Electrical Conductivity in a Snow-Firn Pack on Glacier No. 1, Eastern Tianshan, China. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 2007, 48(1): 55-63.

[22] Li Y. F., Yao T. D., Wang N. L., . Atmosphere Pollution Revealed by Cadmium in the Guliya Ice Core, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: 1990–1991. Environmental Chemistry, 2000, 19(2): 176-180.

[23] Li Y. F., Yao T. D., Wang N. L., . Recent Changes of Atmospheric Heavy Metals in a High-Elevation Ice Core from Muztagh Ata, East Pamirs: Initial Results. Annals of Glaciology, 2006, 43: 154-159.

[24] Li Z. Q., Edwards R., Mosley-Thompson E., . Seasonal Variability of Ionic Concentrations in Surface Snow and Elution Processes in Snow-Firn Packs at the PGPI Site on Urumqi Glacier No. 1, Eastern Tien Shan, China. Annals of Glaciology, 2006, 43: 250-256.

[25] Li Z. Q., Li C. J., Li Y. F., . Preliminary Results from Measurements of Selected Trace Metals in the Snow-Firn Pack on Urumqi Glacier No. 1, Eastern Tien Shan, China. Journal of Glaciology, 2007, 53(182): 368-373.

[26] Li Z. Q., Wang W. B., Wang F. T., . Characteristics of Ionic Concentration and Delta O-18 and Their Variability in Dry-Season and Wet-Season Snow on Urumqi glacier No. 1, Eastern Tien Shan, Central Asia. Annals of Glaciology, 2008, 49: 217-223.

[27] Li Z., Yao T. D., Tian L. D., . Atmospheric Pb Variations in Central Asia since 1955 from Muztagata Ice Core Record, Eastern Pamirs. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2006, 51(16): 1996-2000.

[28] Luo H. Z.. Hydrochemical Features of the Glacier No. 1 in the Source Region of Urumqi River, Tianshan. Journal of Glaciology and Cryopedology, 1983, 5(2): 55-64.

[29] Matsumoto A., Hinkley T. K.. Trace Metal Suites in Antarctic Pre-Industrial Ice are Consistent with Emissions from Quiescent Degassing of Volcanoes Worldwide. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2001, 186(1): 33-43.

[30] Planchon F. A. M., Boutron C. F., Barbante C., . Changes in Heavy Metals in Antarctic Snow from Coats Land since the Mid-19th to the Late-20th Century. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2002, 200(1–2): 207-222.

[31] Rosman K. J. R., Chisholm W., Boutron C. F., . Seasonal Variations in the Origin of Lead in Snow at Dye 3, Greenland. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 1998, 160(3–4): 383-389.

[32] Schotterer U., Stichler W., Ginot P.. Cecil L. D. W., Green J. R., Thompson L. G.. The Influence of Post-Depositional Effects on Ice Core Studies: Examples from the Alps, Andes, and Altai. Earth Paleoenvironments: Records Preserved in Mid- and Low-Latitude Glaciers, 2004, Amsterdam: Springer 39 59

[33] Wang F. T., Li Z. Q., You X. N., . Seasonal Evolution of Aerosol Stratigraphy in Urumqi Glacier No. 1 Percolation Zone, Eastern Tien Shan, China. Annals of Glaciology, 2006, 43: 245-249.

[34] Wang F. T., Li Z. Q., Li H. L., . Development of Depth Hoar and Its Effect on Stable Oxygen Isotopic Content in Snow-Firn Stratigraphy on Urumqi Glacier No. 1, Eastern Tien Shan, China. Annals of Glaciology, 2008, 49(1): 135-138.

[35] Wu Y., Wang J., Liu H., . Spatial Distributions of Atmospheric Contaminations and Effect of Surface Wind in Urumqi. Journal of Desert Research, 2008, 28(5): 986-991.

[36] Xiao C. D., Qin D. H., Yao T. D., . Spread of Lead Pollution over Remote Regions and Upper Troposphere: Glaciochemical Evidence from Polar Regions and Tibetan Plateau. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2001, 66(6): 691-698.

[37] Yang X. R., Zhang X. F., Wu Z. N., . Elemental Geochemistry Characteristics of the Supra-Crust, Xinjiang, China. Arid Land Geography, 2009, 32(3): 340-345.

[38] Zhang Q. G., Kang S. C., Cong Z. Y., . Elemental Composition in Surface Snow from the Ultra-High Elevation Area of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest). Chinese Science Bulletin, 2008, 53(2): 289-294.

[39] Zhang Y. S., Kang E. S., Liu C. H.. The Climate Features of Tianshan Urumqi River Valley. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 1994, 16(4): 333-341.

[40] Zhao Z. P., Li Z. Q., Edwards R., . Atmosphere-to-Snow-to-Firn Transfer of NO₃-on Urumqi Glacier No. 1, Eastern Tien Shan, China. Annals of Glaciology, 2006, 43(1): 239-244.

[41] Zhao Z. P., Tian L. D., Fischer E., . Study of Chemical Composition of Precipitation at an Alpine Site and a Rural Site in the Urumqi River Valley, Eastern Tien Shan, China. Atmospheric Environment, 2008, 42(39): 8934-8942.

[42] Zhou Z. M.. Monthly Movement Speed and Area Variations of Glacier No. 1 at the Headwater of Urumqi River in 2006. Annual Report of Tianshan Glaciological Station, CAREERI, CAS, 2009, 18: 121-127.