Spatio-temporal pattern of metal contamination in Chinese lakes since 1850

Abstract

Abstract In the last century, rapid industrialization and urbanization have increased the potential release of metal contaminants (MCs) into lakes in China. However, the spatiotemporal pattern is poorly understood. We compiled and synthesized the histories of MCs [lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr)] from 43 210Pb-dated lake sediment records to, (1) determine the relationship between human activities and the flux of MCs in lakes, and, (2) to estimate the total inventory of MCs in these lakes. Although the burial rates of MCs indicated a general increasing trend since 1850, their temporal pattern varied among regions, due to different histories of human activities. The burial rates of MCs were higher for lakes in the Eastern Plain and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau with more intensive anthropogenic activities. The history of human activities in lake catchments provides the best explanatory power for spatial and temporal variations in metal contamination.