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Map with locations of the sampling sites of lichens (open circles) and of lake sediments (closed circles) along the traverse centred on the town of Karabash, South Urals, Russia
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Lead (Pb) concentrations and isotope ratios of two different geochemical archives are compared; lake sediment cores and lichens (Hypogymnia physodes, naturally growing and transplanted) from a ca. 80 km-long transect centred on the Cu smelter and former mining town of Karabash, Ural Mountains, Russia. Lead concentrations in sediment cores from 10 l...
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... lies at an altitude of ca. 330 m a.s.l. in a south- west-northeast trending flat-bottomed valley, surrounded by hills (Fig. 1). Mining of iron ore began in the area in 1776 but it was not until 1822, following the discovery of alluvial gold, that the town of Karabash was established. Mining activity increased following the discovery of a secondary Cu deposit in 1834. Small-scale Cu smelting operations were carried out between 1837 and 1842, which produced 22 ...
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... in early November and May. All lakes are ice-covered in winter to a maximum depth of 70-100 cm. The main inflow to all lakes is from small creeks that provide about 30 % of their water supply. Other sources of water are atmospheric precipitation and seepage water. None of the lakes has an outflow, with the exception of lake Serebry (lake 3, Fig. ...
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... location of the sampling sites for lichens and lake sediments is shown in Fig. 1. The traverse for the lake sediments started near to the town of Miass and ended about 12 km southwest of Kyshtym. The traverse for the lichens runs from Turgoyak Lake, northwest of the city of Miass, along a stretch of ca. 30 km to the town of Karabash and then ca. 30 km to the northeast to within 3 km of the town of Kyshtym. No ...
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... sediments differ in their concentration of Cu, Zn, Pb and Mn with lake no. 13 having the lowest Pb concentration of ca. 94 lg/g, followed by lakes no. 17 (175 lg/g), no. 16 (644 lg/g) and no. 3 with the highest Pb levels at 1,834 lg/g (Table 1; Fig. 2). These values vary with distance from Karabash, no. 13 being the furthest and no. 3 the closest (Fig. ...
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... of the stack dust from the Karabash smelter, pre- anthropogenic aerosols (Shotyk et al. 2001) and values indicative of average Earth's upper crust (Millot et al. Table 1 Depth profile data for Cu, Zn, Pb and Mn concentrations (lg/g) in the sediment cores of four selected lakes: no. 3 Serebry, no. 13 Siritkul, no. 16 Alabuga and no. 17 Sadok (see Fig. 1 The Pb isotope composition of top and bottom layers of sediments sampled by gravity coring (Table 3) and the lichen taken along the southwest-northeast traverse are given in Fig. 5 Sadok, see Fig. 1. Note the sharp increase in Cu, Zn, Pb concentra- tions indicating the onset of large-scale mining and smelting probably in 1910, the ...
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... Pb and Mn concentrations (lg/g) in the sediment cores of four selected lakes: no. 3 Serebry, no. 13 Siritkul, no. 16 Alabuga and no. 17 Sadok (see Fig. 1 The Pb isotope composition of top and bottom layers of sediments sampled by gravity coring (Table 3) and the lichen taken along the southwest-northeast traverse are given in Fig. 5 Sadok, see Fig. 1. Note the sharp increase in Cu, Zn, Pb concentra- tions indicating the onset of large-scale mining and smelting probably in 1910, the different profiles of Mn that indicate redox conditions on the lake bottom, and the small dip towards the top of the cores, likely to be due to the cessation of smelting between 1991 and 1997 Pb/ 204 Pb. ...
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... lower, and a Pb Table 3 Pb concentration (lg/g) and isotope composition derived from measurements of 204 Pb, 206 Pb, 207 Pb and 208 Pb in bottom (B) and top (T) layers in sediment cores from lakes along the transect, for distance-negative values SW, positive values NE, stack dust and vegetables (cabbage) from kitchen gardens in Karabash (see Fig. 1 isotope composition less radiogenic than the average for the Earth's upper crust ( Millot et al. 2004). Figure 7 shows three isotope plots involving 204 Pb, 206 Pb, 207 Pb, and 208 Pb that illustrate the composition of the lake sediments, divided into top and bottom sediments, and the potential sources including natural ...
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... as shown in Fig. 3, panels a and b. The pattern of Pb concentration in the lake waters show a distribution roughly similar to that of the lichen, with maximum values of 1.47 lg/L near the smelter and lowest values at the ends of the transect (0.061 lg/L in the southwest (lake no. 6) and 0.26 lg/L in the northeast (lake no. 10), see map in Fig. 1). The Pb concentration decreases with respect to distance following a general power law curve, which is indicative of dispersal from a point source. However, this pattern is not smooth; it should be noted that the distance from the smelter is not the only factor that determines the deposition of airborne particles derived from this ...
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The aim was to study the species composition, abundances and distribution of ixodid ticks in the City of Petrozavodsk. Samples were collected in May–September, 2006–2014 using two methods simultaneously: by flagging from vegetation and by collection from dog. In addition, 47 tick specimens were provided by veterinary clinics based in Petrozavodsk....
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... Such works are certainly widely developed in Russia, where there are more than 2 million lakes with a surface area of ~350 thousand km 2 (excluding the Caspian sea). Paleolimnological studies and reconstructions are especially relevant for regions with large industrial histories (the Southern Ural, Murmansk Region, Western Siberia) [15][16][17]. Besides, the close location of the aquatic ecosystems to the direct sources of the anthropogenic emissions is important for such research. Therefore, paleolimnological studies are either impossible or barely conducted in the regions with a small number of lakes or in inaccessibility areas. ...
... Many paleolimnological studies assessing the dynamics of pollutants in water bodies of the Chelyabinsk Region have been conducted in the impact area of this plant. For instance, the analysis of dynamics of heavy metals and stable 2 10 Pb isotopes behavior in the core of recent sediments of Lake Serebry located 4 km from Karabashmed showed increased concentrations of Cu (up to ~6000 mg/kg, while background level is about 50 mg/kg), Zn (up to ~6000 mg/kg, background is ~70 mg/kg), Pb (up to ~2000 mg/kg, background is ~20 mg/kg), and Mn (up to ~1000 mg/kg, background is ~410 mg/kg) in the upper layers compared to the lower ones [16,22,23]. The increase in concentrations of these metals started according to different references at a depth of 50-80 cm, likely corresponding to the start of the plant operations. ...
... The average sedimentary rate in Lake Serebry in the industrial period was 4.8 mm/year [22]. However, more recent data show that this value can be higher, up to ~9 mm/year (calculated based on data from [16]). Similar trends of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Sb, Cd) can also be seen in sediments of other lakes located in the impact area of Karabashskiy Copper-Smelting Plant [19,23]. ...
Lake sediments are a reliable source of information about the past, including data of the origin of water bodies and their changes. Russia has more than 2 million lakes, so paleolimnological studies are relevant here. This review deals with the most significant studies of sequential accumulation of pollutants, including heavy metals in recent lake sediments in Russia. The key areas are northwestern regions of Russia (Murmansk Region, the Republic of Karelia, Arkhangelsk Region), the Urals (Chelyabinsk Region, the Republic of Bashkortostan), and Siberia. The review presents the data of pollutants accumulation, the sedimentation rate in lakes in the anthropogenic period, and the key sources of pollution of the environment in each of the mentioned regions. The article is divided into three parts (sections): industrial areas, urbanized areas, and background (pristine) areas so that readers might better understand the specifics of particular pollution and its impact on lake ecosystems. The impact of metallurgical plants, mining companies, boiler rooms, coal and mazut thermal power plants, transport, and other anthropogenic sources influencing geochemical characteristics of lakes located nearby or at a distance to these sources of pollution are considered. For instance, the direct influence of factories and transport was noted in the study of lake sediments in industrial regions and cities. In the background territories, the influence of long-range transport of pollutants was mainly noted. It was found that sedimentation rates are significantly lower in pristine areas, especially in the Frigid zone, compared to urbanized areas and industrial territories. In addition, the excess concentrations of heavy metals over the background are higher in the sediments of lakes that are directly affected by the source of pollution. At the end of the article, further prospects of the development of paleolimnological studies in Russia are discussed in the context of the continuing anthropogenic impact on the environment.
... Considering that Pb is a volatile pollutant that is easily transported by ascending air masses and deposited by cold condensation in high-altitude environments (Urrutia et al. 2002), the source of the metal content such as Pb, at least partially, could originate in the intense industrial activity carried out in the Atacama Region's central valley. Other trace metals released into the atmosphere such as Cd, Cu, and Zn can be transported over long distances with aerosols or particulate forms (Hur et al. 2007;Grgic 2008;Spiro et al. 2013). For these reasons, the contaminants can accumulate in remote environments such as oceans (Chance et al. 2015;Birch 2017), mountain areas (Yang et al. 2010;Bacardit et al. 2012;Rose et al. 2012;Bing et al. 2016), and polar regions (Shotyk et al. 2003;Hur et al. 2007). ...
The high-Andean mountain of northern Chile host numerous water systems that is in risk due to increased mining activities. Total and dissolved Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in water, and Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn, As, Mo, Al, and V in sediments of 21 aquatic systems (rivers, saline lakes, salt flats), were studied. The presence of Pb, Cd, and As in waters and sediments could be explained, in part, by mining activities. Waters are not suitable for human consumption or irrigation due to high content of Cu and As and high pH that exceed Chilean water quality guideline values. The use of different background reference values influences noticeably the conclusion related to environmental quality of sediments, measured with different environmental indexes. The local geological background suggest that Cd, Mo, Pb, and As generate some degree of contamination, while the use of unpolluted systems as background suggest that all metals measured in sediments represent a low contamination risk. The use of background values of local unpolluted systems seems to be more realistic than geological formation or Upper Continental Crust reference values to assess the environmental condition. The ecological risk assessment suggests that Cd and As are threat for communities living in these aquatic environments. However, these systems support abundant wildlife, developing unique extreme ecosystems with great potential for non-consumptive use such as special interest tourism and conservation.
... Pearson correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and the results displayed in Fig. 9 indicated that Pb pollution shows different behaviors with other heavy metals. Some studies indicated that anthropogenic Pb emitted to the atmosphere has low solubility and preferentially transport in the atmosphere in particulate forms especially from mining and smelting sources (Colbeck 2008;Spiro et al. 2013). Therefore, Fig. 9 Magnetic parameters and heavy metals (Lin et al. 2018) including Al, Ti, Fe, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, andPLI against age Environ Sci Pollut Res (2018) 25:26527-26538 the influence of anthropogenic Pb on the terrestrial environment may be limited within tens to hundreds of km ranges (Klaminder et al. 2008;Spiro et al. 2013). ...
... Some studies indicated that anthropogenic Pb emitted to the atmosphere has low solubility and preferentially transport in the atmosphere in particulate forms especially from mining and smelting sources (Colbeck 2008;Spiro et al. 2013). Therefore, Fig. 9 Magnetic parameters and heavy metals (Lin et al. 2018) including Al, Ti, Fe, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, andPLI against age Environ Sci Pollut Res (2018) 25:26527-26538 the influence of anthropogenic Pb on the terrestrial environment may be limited within tens to hundreds of km ranges (Klaminder et al. 2008;Spiro et al. 2013). Since primary Pb smelting is the major sources of Pb in China (Tian et al. 2015), we consider that the atmospheric Pb in the Lugu Lake region was likely limited to sub-regional sources rather than regional or global sources. ...
Environmental magnetism, which is rapid, sensitive, economical, and non-destructive, has been used to assess heavy metal pollution in lake sediments based on the relationships between magnetic properties and heavy metal concentrations. We conducted a systematic environmental magnetic and heavy metal study of the sediments of the core LGS from Lugu Lake in Southwest China. The results show that the concentration-related magnetic parameters (χ, χARM, and SIRM) in the core LGS showed an increasing trend from bottom to top. The results of rock magnetism indicated that the dominant magnetic particles were magnetite. Two sources of magnetic minerals can be distinguished by the correlations of χ vs. χfd% and χ vs. χARM/χ: the surrounding catchment and anthropogenic activities. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis and principal component analysis showed that the concentration-dependent magnetic parameters have significant correlations with heavy metal (Al, Ti, Fe, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd) concentrations as well as the Tomlinson pollution load index (PLI), indicating that there are essential linkages of sources, deposition, and migration between magnetic particles and heavy metals. Based on previously reported 137Cs and 210Pb data, the historical trends of heavy metal pollution in Lugu Lake were successfully reconstructed, and the causes of heavy metal pollution were mainly agricultural practices and atmospheric metal depositions from anthropogenic sources. The significant correlations between magnetic parameters, heavy metals, and the PLI indicate that magnetic parameters can potentially be used as an index of heavy metal pollution in lacustrine deposits.
... Trace metals such as Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn, also called potentially harmful elements, are common contaminants of concern in ecosystems due to their persistence, toxicity, bioaccumulation and biomagnification in food chains (Vicente-Martorell et al., 2009;Birch and Apostolatos, 2013). These metals if released into the atmosphere can be transported over long distances with aerosols and/or particulate forms (Hur et al., 2007;Colbeck, 2008;Spiro et al., 2013). Because of these reasons the contaminants can accumulate in remote environments not directly related to local human activities, such as in oceans (Birch, 2017), alpine areas Bacardit et al., 2012;Rose et al., 2012;Bing et al., 2016), and polar regions (Shotyk et al., 2003;Hur et al., 2007). ...
... Some studies indicated that anthropogenic Pb emitted to the atmosphere have low solubility and preferentially transport in the atmosphere in particulate forms especially from mining and smelting sources (Colbeck, 2008;Spiro et al., 2013). Therefore, the influence of anthropogenic Pb on the terrestrial environment may be limited within tens to hundreds of km ranges (Klaminder et al., 2008;Spiro et al., 2013). ...
... Some studies indicated that anthropogenic Pb emitted to the atmosphere have low solubility and preferentially transport in the atmosphere in particulate forms especially from mining and smelting sources (Colbeck, 2008;Spiro et al., 2013). Therefore, the influence of anthropogenic Pb on the terrestrial environment may be limited within tens to hundreds of km ranges (Klaminder et al., 2008;Spiro et al., 2013). Since primary Pb smelting is the major sources of Pb and Sb in China (Tian et al., 2015), we consider that the atmospheric Pb in Lugu Lake regions was likely limited to sub-regional sources rather than regional or global sources. ...
Atmospheric pollution, one of the leading environmental problems in South and East Asia, and its impact on the terrestrial environmental quality remain poorly understood particularly in alpine areas where both historical and present-day mining and smelting operations might leave an imprint. Here, we reconstructed atmospheric trace metals pollution during the past century using core sediments from a large and deep alpine lake in Southwest China. The implication of in lake and/or in watershed sediment focusing in pollution quantification is discussed by analyzing 15 sediment cores. Factor analysis and enrichment factor indicated Cd, Pb and Sb as the typical pollutants. Distinct peaks of Pb and Sb pollution were observed around the 1920s, but little Pb pollution was detected in recent decades, different from other studies in similar regions. Cadmium pollution was observed until the mid-1980s synchronized with Sb. The distinctive variations in atmospheric trace metal pollution process in Southwest China highlight the regional and sub-regional sources of metal pollutants, which should be primarily attributed to non-ferrous metal smelting emissions. Both natural and anthropogenic metals showed wide concentration ranges though exhibited similar temporal trends in the 15 cores. Spatial variations of anthropogenic metals were influenced by the in-watershed pollutants remobilization, whereas, natural metals were regulated by the detrital materials in the sub-basin. In-lake sediment focusing had little influence on the spatial distributions of all metals, different from the traditional sediment focusing pattern observed in small lakes. Anthropogenic Cd accumulation in sediments ranged from 1.5 to 10.1mgm(-2) in a specific core with an average of 6.5mgm(-2) for the entire lake, highlighting that a reliable whole-lake pollutant budget requires an analysis of multiple cores. Our study suggests that the management of aquatic ecosystem health should take the remobilization of in-watershed stored pollutants into consideration especially under increasing human perturbation.
... The environmental impacts of mining-related activities in and around middle Ural region including Karabash are extremely severe (Williamson et al., 2004a(Williamson et al., ,b, 2008. The area has been affected by gaseous and particulate emissions from a copper smelter, acid drainage from abandoned mine workings, and leachates and dusts from waste dumps (Chukanov et al., 1993;Udachin et al., 2003;Spiro et al., 2004;Williamson et al., 2008;Spiro et al., 2012). The extent of environmental pollution in Russia is shown in Figure 2. In this chapter, some results of biological recultivation of various mine industry damaged sites, including fly ash dumps and dumps from coal mining and iron ore mining, are presented. ...
Rapid urban growth and industrial development led to irreversible changes in the landscape, especially the natural vegetation. The fly ash dumps at thermal power plants, in the Middle Ural region occupy a large area. These fly ash dump sites are the main source of air and soil pollution. To restore these fly ash-ravaged sites and to prevent harmful effects on the environment, biological reclamation has been carried out. The key objective of this exercise is to create a biological reclamation on the surface of dump sites by transforming them through biogeocenosis into productive areas for agriculture, forestry, and recreation.
... Since its opening, the smelter and beneficiation plant have produced approximately 30 million tons of metallurgical slags and flotation wastes (Udachin et al., 1998). Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter showed an increase in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn and Sb concentrations since AD 1910 (Spiro et al., 2013;Udachin et al., 2009). Emission of substantial amounts of sulphur dioxide by the Karabash copper smelter pipes can cause acidification and heavy metal-contamination of lake waters and significant changes in lake ecosystems (Moiseenko et al., 2000). ...
... The bottom boundary of the industrial period (AD 1910) for Lake Syrytkul was determined on the basis of 210 Pb dating and confirmed by the changes in trace element concentrations (Maslennikova et al., 2015). Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter identified an increase in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn and Sb concentrations since AD 1910 (Spiro et al., 2013;Udachin et al., 2009). According to our research results, concentrations of chalcophilic elements are substantially higher in the Lake Ufimskoe sediments from the depth of 25 cm. ...
Major changes in the Holocene were identified based on a diatom and geochemical analysis of sediment cores from Lakes Ufimskoe and Syrytkul (the Southern Urals). The Lake Ufimskoe ecosystem in the Central mountain area is identified to be highly sensitive to variations in temperature. Meanwhile, Lake Syrytkul is more responsive to climate aridization because of its limnological characteristics and less precipitation in the piedmont area. Climate events were the main drivers for lake ecosystems dynamics throughout almost the whole history of the lakes. The records of lake sediments reflect several climate events noted elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere: Lateglacial–Holocene transition (~12,000–11,600), Preboreal oscillation (~11,200–11,000 cal. BP), climate warming and aridization (~9700–9600 cal. BP), warming and increase in precipitation since 9000 cal. BP, climate aridization at ~5800 cal. BP, cooling since 4000 cal. BP, and warming at ~2500 cal. BP. Climate warming of the last hundred years was not reflected in lake sediment records because of the significant human impact on the lake ecosystem. The upper sediments of both lakes are enriched in As, Bi, Sb, Te, Sn, Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb because of the influence of the Karabash copper smelter. However, the significant changes of the Lake Syrytkul ecosystem are not related to the technogenic impact and explained mainly by the dam construction. The changes in diatom communities identified in Lake Ufimskoe, which is located in an area geologically sensitive to acidification, are related to the acidification and heavy metal loading on the water area.
... Since its opening, the smelter and refining plant have produced around 30 million tons of metallurgical slag and flotation wastes (Udachin et al., 1998). Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter show increases in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn, Sb since 1910 AD (Udachin et al., 2009;Spiro et al., 2013). Additionally, it was observed that poorly-buffered lakes affected by acid deposition were characterized by changes in diatom assemblages due to the acidification effect (Maslennikova et al., 2012). ...
... Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter showed increases in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn, and Sb concentrations since 1910 AD (Udachin et al., 2009;Spiro et al., 2013). According to our research results, concentrations of chalcophilic elements are substantially higher in the sediments from the depth of 23 cm (1910 AD), confirming the conclusions made with the help of 210 Pb dating. ...
A multi-proxy study including lithology, geochemistry, diatom analysis and palynology of the Lake Syrytkul sediments provides continuous environmental reconstruction of the Lateglacial and Holocene in the Southern Urals and make it possible to compare the role of natural and anthropogenic factors in lake history. The Lake Syrytkul sediment records reflect the main Lateglacial and Holocene paleoclimate changes. The Lateglacial-Holocene Transition (11,600-11,500calBP) expressed in all palaeorecords was followed by great limnological and vegetation changes. The climatic changes of ~7400 and ~4300calBP were fixed in all lake sediment records. Vegetation and lake ecosystem were less affected by global climate events: the Preboreal Oscillation (11,200-11,000calBP), 8.2ka event and regional climate events: ~10,350calBP, ~9750calBP, ~9000calBP and ~2000calBP. As follows from lake sediment records, the environment deterioration after the Holocene climatic optimum started in different time in the range of 6300-5100calBP due to various sensitivities of different proxies to paleoclimate parameters. The climate events were the main drivers for the dynamics of the Southern Urals lake ecosystems during almost the entire lake history. The role of the human factor in the change of the lake ecosystem was critical since the beginning of the twentieth century. Despite the adjacent Karabash copper smelter as the source of considerable technogenic contamination, it was a dam constructed ~100 years ago that had the greatest impact on the lake system. This event is reflected in all sediment records, especially diatom and geochemical. Changes in the diatom species composition and sediments geochemistry of the shortest human impact period are comparable in magnitude to the response of the lake ecosystem to the Lateglacial-Holocene Transition.
... Since its opening, the smelter and beneficiation plant have produced approximately 30 million tons of metallurgical slags and flotation wastes (Udachin et al., 1998). Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter showed an increase in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn and Sb concentrations since AD 1910 (Spiro et al., 2013;Udachin et al., 2009). Emission of substantial amounts of sulphur dioxide by the Karabash copper smelter pipes can cause acidification and heavy metal-contamination of lake waters and significant changes in lake ecosystems (Moiseenko et al., 2000). ...
... The bottom boundary of the industrial period (AD 1910) for Lake Syrytkul was determined on the basis of 210 Pb dating and confirmed by the changes in trace element concentrations (Maslennikova et al., 2015). Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter identified an increase in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn and Sb concentrations since AD 1910 (Spiro et al., 2013;Udachin et al., 2009). According to our research results, concentrations of chalcophilic elements are substantially higher in the Lake Ufimskoe sediments from the depth of 25 cm. ...
The palynological analysis of the reliably dated core section of bottom sediments from Tavatui Lake revealed consistency between the chronology and succession of Late Pleistocene and Early Pliocene events (GI-a/b, CS-1, GH-11.2) in the Middle Urals and the North Atlantic region. It is established that the Holocene thermal maximum (5.3–8.0 cal. ka ago) in the Middle Urals was characterized by high temperatures and humidity. The initial stage of the Subboreal cooling was reffered to the interval of 4.5–5.3 cal. ka ago. The data obtained provided grounds for the conclusion that the palynological record in the Tavatui Lake section reflects in detail global and regional climate oscillations, which allows it to be used as a Holocene and late glacial reference section, as well as for predicting the behavior of the natural system of the Middle Urals in response to future climate change.
... Since its opening, the smelter and refining plant have produced around 30 million tons of metallurgical slag and flotation wastes (Udachin et al., 1998). Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter show increases in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn, Sb since 1910 AD (Udachin et al., 2009;Spiro et al., 2013). Additionally, it was observed that poorly-buffered lakes affected by acid deposition were characterized by changes in diatom assemblages due to the acidification effect (Maslennikova et al., 2012). ...
... Previous investigations of the sediments from several lakes located near the Karabash copper smelter showed increases in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Tl, Se, Sn, and Sb concentrations since 1910 AD (Udachin et al., 2009;Spiro et al., 2013). According to our research results, concentrations of chalcophilic elements are substantially higher in the sediments from the depth of 23 cm (1910 AD), confirming the conclusions made with the help of 210 Pb dating. ...
... An area well documented as experiencing the environmental effects of Cu smelting is Karabash in the Ural Mountains of Russia, where large scale smelting has been carried out since the 1830s (Spiro et al., 2004;Russia Channel, 2013). The spatial pattern of airborne particulate fallout from the Karabash smelter has been assessed from the chemical analysis of lichens found growing naturally and transplanted to and retrieved from locations at distances of up to 33 km from the smelter Spiro et al., 2012). Further to evidence being drawn depicting "gross contamination for up to 10 km from the smelter" (Tote et al., 2014), anomalies in public health have caused concern, e.g. ...
Cu smelting has had a severe impact on the environment around the town of Karabash, Russia. Dispersion modelling has been carried out to estimate atmospheric fallout of metals and metalloids (henceforth termed metals for brevity) from the copper smelter, calibrated and ground-truthed using metal concentrations in transplanted and naturally growing lichens. Lichens (Hypogymnia physodes) were transplanted in June 2011 from a relatively little impacted ‘reference site’ to stations in NE–SW and W–E transects centred on the smelter at Karabash. The transplants were removed during September 2011 and then analysed for As, Cu and Pb. The results were compared with deposition loads estimated using TAPM modelling which was carried out for particles of various sizes, and with simple chemistries, and with the smelter conceptualised as a continuously emitting point source. Variation in the ratio of lichen divided by modelled concentrations was lowest for Pb, ranging from 30.3 to 939.9 and 4.9–107.8 for PM2.5 and PM10, respectively, across eight sample points. The TAPM modelling is in agreement with previous studies that smelter emissions are the major source of environmental Pb deposition around Karabash. Further modelling will be required to determine whether the Pb in the lichens is largely sourced from current smelter airborne emissions or windblown soil particles containing historic additions of Pb. © 2015 Turkish National Committee for Air Pollution Research and Control.Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
