Author(s)

Jong-Woo Choi, Eun-Jin Yoo, Jee-young Kim, Jong-Yeon Hwang, Khanghyun Lee, Won-Seok Lee, Jin-Seok Han, Kyu-Seung Lee

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Environmental Measurement & Analysis Center, Department of Environmental Infrastructure Research, National Institute of Envi- ronmental Research, Incheon, South Korea.

This study was undertaken to investigate the influence of Pb contaminant dispersal from an abandoned mine. For the study, 23 samples of sediment and soil were collected around the abandoned mine located in southwest of Korea. Pb concentrations and isotope ratios of sediment samples were analyzed through ICP-OES (Optima 5300 DV, Perkin Elmer) and MC-ICP-MS (Plasma II, Nu), respectively. The sediment samples collected in the main stream from the mine entrance showed high Pb concentrations of 139 - 1079 mg/kg, while Pb concentrations of the other sites were 19 - 29 mg/kg. Pb isotope ratios of the main stream sediments were 2.4854 - 2.4883 for 208Pb/207Pb and 1.1693 - 1.1740 for 206Pb/207Pb. On the other hand, the Pb isotopic compositions of sediments collected from the other sites were clearly different from those of ore deposits. The Pb isotope ratios versus inverse concentrations plot showed high linear correlation between the main stream, the tributary stream and one of the downstream sites representing the two end member mixing system between these sites. According to the binary mixing equation, the relative contribution of Pb pollutants from the abandoned mine to the downstream area were approximately 33% - 36%.

Pb Isotope Ratios; MC-ICP-MS; Abandoned Mine; Stream Sediment

Choi, J. , Yoo, E. , Kim, J. , Hwang, J. , Lee, K. , Lee, W. , Han, J. and Lee, K. (2013) Pb concentrations and isotopic compositions in the soil and sediments around the abandoned mine in southwest of Korea. Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Environment, 2, 101-108. doi: 10.4236/jacen.2013.24015.