Chemical signatures of the Anthropocene in the Clyde estuary, UK: sediment-hosted Pb, 207/206 Pb, total petroleum hydrocarbon, polyaromatic hydrocarbon and polychlorinated biphenyl pollution records
Abstract
The sediment concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Pb and 207/206 Pb isotope ratios were measured in seven cores from the middle Clyde estuary (Scotland, UK) with an aim of tracking the late Anthropocene. Concentrations of TPHs ranged from 34 to 4386 mg kg −1 , total PAHs from 19 to 16 163 μ g kg −1 and total PCBs between less than 4.3 to 1217 μ g kg −1 . Inventories, distributions and isomeric ratios of the organic pollutants were used to reconstruct pollutant histories. Pre-Industrial Revolution and modern non-polluted sediments were characterized by low TPH and PAH values as well as high relative abundance of biogenic-sourced phenanthrene and naphthalene. The increasing industrialization of the Clyde gave rise to elevated PAH concentrations and PAH isomeric ratios characteristic of both grass/wood/coal and petroleum and combustion (specifically petroleum combustion). Overall, PAHs had the longest history of any of the organic contaminants. Increasing TPH concentrations and a concomitant decline in PAHs mirrored the lessening of coal use and increasing reliance on petroleum fuels from about the 1950s. Thereafter, declining hydrocarbon pollution was followed by the onset (1950s), peak (1965–1977) and decline (post-1980s) in total PCB concentrations. Lead concentrations ranged from 6 to 631 mg kg −1 , while 207/206 Pb isotope ratios spanned 0.838–0.876, indicative of various proportions of ‘background’, British ore/coal and Broken Hill type petrol/industrial lead. A chronology was established using published Pb isotope data for aerosol-derived Pb and applied to the cores.
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Elevated concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and diverse pesticide residues each begin ~1945-1950 C.E.
“Among the many distinct geochemical signatures that human activities have introduced into the sedimentary record are elevated concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and diverse pesticide residues, each beginning ~1945-1950 C.E. ( 44-47 ).”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [45]
The Conclusions (p. 16) associate a rise in PCB concentrations with the 1950s. But the PAH results (p. 13) describe elevated concentrations rising from the early industrial revolution and peaking around 1920, not beginning around 1945–1950. The paper does not report a pesticide-residue record. (LLM, conf=0.90)
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- Authors
- Vane, C. H., Chenery, S. R., Harrison, I., Kim, A. W., Moss-Hayes, V., & Jones, D. G.
- Affiliations
- British Geological Survey (GB)
- British Geological Survey, Kingsley Dunham Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
- Venue
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
- Publisher
- The Royal Society
- Published
- 2011-03-13
- Volume
- 369
- Issue
- 1938
- Pages
- 1085-1111
- ISSN
- 1364-503X (ISSN-L)
- 1471-2962
- OpenAlex
- W1994836440
- Cited by
- 110
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 6.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NERC Open Research Archive (Natural Environment Research Council) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- British Geological Survey
- Natural Environment Research Council (bgs05009)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Heavy metals in environment
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Keywords
- Anthropocene, Clyde Estuary, total petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead isotopes, 207Pb/206Pb, lead contamination, coal combustion, oil combustion, industrialization, estuarine sediments
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