Hartmut Heinrichs

The Isotopic Composition of Anthropogenic Pb in Soil Profiles of Northern Germany: Evidence for Pollutant Pb from a Continent-wide Mixing System

Seventy-five samples of six soil profiles from forests on different substrates plus one next to a motorway were analyzed for the variation of Pb concentration and isotopic composition with depth. A substantial fraction of the anthropogenic Pb (peak concentrations between 74 and 300 ppm) is still stored in the organic top soil, and seldom penetrates deeper than 20–30 cm. In (208Pb/206Pb) vs. (207Pb/206Pb)-diagrams the Pb in the uppermost layers of the profiles plots on an excellent correlation line (R = 0.99) indicating essentially a two-component mixing system. Values for the dust on Scottish plants, Norwegian and Swiss bogs as well as for aerosols collected over the North Atlantic (data from the literature) plot on the same correlation line showing that the Pb was deposited from a continent-wide mixing system with two apparent end members: The radiogenic one is similar to geogenic Pb and could consist of contributions from certain European ore deposits and from different soil components (e.g. silicates and Fe-oxides), power plants and cement factories. The less radiogenic component must contain or consist of Pb from Proterozoic or even Archaic ore deposits. However, the sources of this Pb remain somewhat elusive. In any case, this isotopic pattern is so consistent all over Europe that the correlation line may serve as a line of reference for quasi normal or European Standard Lead Pollution (ESLP). The gasoline derived Pb in the soils is swamped by Pb of other provenances.

On the Isotopic Composition of Pb in Cloud Waters in Central Germany. A Source Discrimination Study

Fifty seven (57) cloud water samples collected in 1 hr intervals during 9cloud events in 1997 at the summit of the Brocken (altitude 1142 m) in Central Germany were analyzed for their Pb concentrations and isotopic compositions. For comparison, filterdusts of such possible emitters as power plants, cement factories, waste incinerators, cars and others were also studied.Profiles over many hours reveal changes in composition correlatedwith changes in the origin of the air masses. Five main groups ofpossible sources of the Pb can be distinguished: most importantare (1) the European standard pollution ESP dominating the continent from Germany over France to Scandinavia and (2) industrial Pb (and soot from car exhausts) followed by (3) urban waste incinerators as well as (4) perhaps ores from Norilsk/Siberia, and, somewhat uncertain, (5) ores from PaleozoicEuropean deposits. Local and daily varying anthropogenic emissions of the sources (2–5) cause scatter of the points around the ESP correlation line. In soils all these variationsand individual signatures are levelled out so that specific sources of pollution cannot be identified anymore. Geogenic Pbfrom rocks and soils is the same as that from power plants and cement factories. It is one of the two nominal end components making up the mixture of the ESP. The less radiogenic end component of this mix which must contain Pb from very old deposits is somewhat elusive: none of the large Archaic or Proterozoic deposits could be identified. Most probably numerous sources contribute to this Pb. Pb from leaded gasoline seems to be absent or is hidden under the five components dominating the composition of the Pb in the European environment. This probably reflects phasing out of such gasoline in most European countries. The Pb in the clouds may contain a small component of old Proterozoic or even Archaic Pb, but it can also be modelled with Paleozoic Pb.

a new high-pressure squeezing technique for pore fluid extraction from terrestrial soils

A new plastic-lined high-pressure squeezing device has been developed for the extraction of soil pore solutions. At a maximum pressure of 1100 kg cm−2 the water recovery ranged between 30 and 55% of the total water content. Pressure dependent squeezing experiments showed a general increase in Si, Mn, Mg, Ca, K, Na, Al, Fe, Cd, and Zn concentrations with progressive pore water extraction and increasing pressure, indicating that micro pore solutes have the highest concentrations of solutes. Soil samples with moisture contents of more than about 15% generally provided enough water for major and trace element analyses. The data do not reveal any contamination of the pore fluids from the squeezing device. An advantage of this method is that the solution could be closely related to a specific soil horizon on a cm scale and also to the time of sampling. A further application of this squeezing method is the possibility of pressure dependent sequential squeezing to obtain fluids from different pore spaces.

West German coal power plants as sources of potentially toxic emissions

Abstract The potential emissions (39 elements) of West‐German coal‐burning power plants have been calculated for 3 major furnace types by means of a new, dynamic model which is based on element partition coefficients between slag, fly‐ash, and stack fly‐ash. The “uncoupling of mass‐ and element mass‐flow”; during wet‐bottom firing with fly‐ash recycling is responsible for the high accumulation of volatile elements in fly‐ash and concomitant stack emissions. The different behaviour of Al, Pb, and Hg in a model power plant is shown in detail.

Squeezed soil-pore solutes — A comparison to lysimeter samples and percolation experiments

This paper presents data on the chemical composition of soil pore fluids that have been obtained by a high-pressure squeezing technique and lysimeter sampling. Cation-exchange capacity has been calculated from cations extracted by a simple percolation method. All pore water concentrations are greatly influenced by the pH in solution. Most pore water concentrations do not simply parallel the corresponding mineralogical and chemical composition of the solids. The depth of the acidification front, as determined by analysis of samples obtained by percolation, is much better reflected in the chemical composition of the squeezed soil pore fluids than in the lysimeter samples. Distinct gradients are seen in Al concentration. In the B-horizons, concentrations of Al are close to the solubility of gibbsite. The pore water concentration profiles of Si and K apparently indicate dissolution of K-silicates, in particular K-feldspar. Contrary to the squeezed pore solutions the sulphate maximum concentration in the soil profile is not recorded by lysimeter samples. Mineral saturation indices show that pore solutions by squeezing are close to the saturation concentrations for K-jarosite and K-alunite. Sulphur-rich phases from the soil are compatible with mixtures of alunite jarosite, zaherite, basaluminite, and hydrobasaluminite. In the upper soil horizons the liquid/solid ratios [calculated as: concentration in solution (µg/ml) * solution fraction in solids (ml/g)/concentration in solids (µg/g)] increase in the order Ph < OC ≈ Zn < Cd and range from 10−6 to 10−3, indicating that Ph is most strongly held and still accumulates in the organic top soil. In the underlying deeper mineral horizons the ratios for Pb, Zn, and Cd decrease by one order of magnitude.

Anreicherung von umweltrelevanten Metallen in atmosphärisch transportierten Schwebstäuben aus Ballungszentren

Trotz vermehrter Bemuhungen zur Verbesserung der Luftreinhaltung in den Ballungszentren der westlichen Industrienationen nehmen die Saure-und Staubkonzentrationen in der Atmosphare weltweit weiterhin zu. Bevolkerungswachstum, Verstadterung und der Wunsch nach steigendem Lebensstandard haben zwangslaufig eine rasch fortschreitende Industrialisierung mit wachsenden Umweltproblemen zur Folge. Zunehmende Anteile der Erdoberflache werden fur Siedlungs-, Verkehrs-und Industriebauten auf Kosten naturlicher Landschaften genutzt. Bei der grosraumigen Belastung der Umwelt, auch auserhalb der eigentlichen Industriezonen, spielt die Ausbreitung von Schadstoffen in der Atmosphare und ihre Deposition an der Erdoberflache eine herausragende Rolle (→ Kap. 1). Die deponierten sauren Luftbeimengungen stammen aber nahezu vollstandig aus Gebieten hoher Industrie-, Verkehrs-und Siedlungsdichte.

Emissions of 22 elements from brown-coal combustion

The emissions of 22 elements from a large ligniteburning power plant have been measured. The elements S, Na, Zn, Pb, Hg, Cd, and Bi, less well retained by electrostatic precipitation, have been used to prepare a rough estimate of potential emissions from the combustion of 1.1·108 metric tons of brown coal for power production in the Federal Republic of Germany. The amounts of Zn, Pb, Hg, Cd, and Bi emitted are far from negligible. The annual sulfur discharge of 1.6·106 t requires effective control.

Spinnweben: Natürliche Fänger atmosphärisch transportierter Feinstäube

reactivity of diamond do not yield clear-cut evidence for the presence of diamond-type carbon in the bulk of the Murchison meteorite. In conclusion, our experimental findings give evidence for the presence of organic carbon compounds in the bulk of the Murchison meteorite. The identification of the primary carbon compounds, however, proves to be difficult due to the complicated processes caused by thermal degradation occurring during the meteorites trajectory. As the thermoanalytical characterizations reveal, the presence of primary macromolecular carbon compounds is probable. The observed presence of amino acids within carbonaceous chondrites [3] cannot be proven by mere thermoanalytical investigations. Simulated mixtures of the main amino acids found in the Murchison meteorite in the observed ratio [3] were pretreated at 200 °C under nitrogen (coking process). The onset temperature as well as the course of the decomposition of this material are similar to that observed for the carbonaceous matter of Murchison. Complete decomposition, however, is reached at 600°C, i.e., 200°C lower than for the other meteoritic carbonaceous compounds. The observation of a vast range of different carbon compounds in chondrites proves that the coking process obviously occurred under remarkably inhomogeneous temperature distributions.

Stoffdispersion Osterzgebirge — Ökosystemforschung in einer alten Kulturlandschaft

Seit Oktober 1991 fordert die DFG ein Forschungsvorhaben zur Ermittlung der anorganischen Stoffflusse im Einzugsgebiet der Roten Weiseritz. Geowissenschaftler und Biologen untersuchen die Systemkompartimente vom atmospharischen Eintrag uber die Bodenpassage hin zu Flies- und Stillgewassern und deren Lebensgemeinschaften. Ziel ist eine Quantifizierung der Stoffflusse, die Differenzierung in geogene und anthropogene Komponenten, eine Analyse der Transport- und Senkenprozesse und eine Abschatzung der okologischen Folgen der Systembelastungen.

Notwendigkeit, Mglichkeiten und Grenzen der Untergrund-Deponie anthropogener Schadstoffe

The natural geochemical cycles of many elements in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and pedosphere have been changed during the past decades by anthropogenic activities. To put a stop to this development, a drastic reduction of the uncontrolled dispersal of potentially hazardous substances into our environment is necessary, compelling the need for the safe disposal of radioactive and nonradioactive hazardous wastes far away from the biosphere. The amount of potentially hazardous waste produced annually in West Germany is larger by a factor of at least 20 than the volume of hazardous material for which suitable underground disposal sites are planned and available at present. Grundlagen