Abstract
The occurrence of toxic metals1–3 in ancient Antarctic ice provides an excellent means of assessing the past natural tropospheric cycles of these metals, knowledge of which is vital for modern time trends to be judged in proper perspective4–6. In spite of this, there are at present very few reliable data for metals in Antarctic ice, with the exception of lead7,8. Here we present comprehensive data on the time variations of copper, zinc and cadmium in Antarctic ice from 39,500 to 2,700 yr BP. During this time, the concentrations of these metals have varied significantly, the highest values being observed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Soil dust appears to have been the main natural source of metals during the LGM, but during the Holocene, it comprises only part of the measured concentrations. The Holocene excesses might be explained by a volcanic or biogenic contribution.
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Batifol, F., Boutron, C. & de Angelis, M. Changes in copper, zinc and cadmium concentration in Antarctic ice during the past 40,000 years. Nature 337, 544–546 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/337544a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/337544a0
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