Cadmium isotopic fractionation in lead-zinc smelting process and signatures in fluvial sediments

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal pollutant. Various industrial activities, especially metal smelting, are the main sources of Cd pollution. Cd isotopes have exhibited the ability to be excellent source tracers and can be used to assess the pollution contributions from different sources. Herein, in a typical lead-zinc smelter, Shaoguan, China, significant Cd isotopic fractionation was found during the high temperature smelting process and followed a Rayleigh distillation model. The heavier Cd isotopes were concentrated in the slag, while the lighter Cd isotopes were concentrated in the dust. In the downstream sediment profile of the smelter, sediments have extremely high Cd concentrations that far exceed the Chinese background sediment, indicating severe pollution levels. The ε114/110Cd of the sediment core, ranged from − 0.62 ± 0.5–1.73 ± 0.5, are found between slag (ε114/110Cd=10.42) and dust (ε114/110Cd=−5.68). The binary mixture model suggests that 88–93% of the Cd in sediment profile was derived from the slag, and 7–12% from the deposition of dust. The findings demonstrate the great potential to apply Cd isotopes as a new geochemical tool to distinguish anthropogenic sources and quantify the contribution from various sources in the environment. [Display omitted] •Significant Cd isotopic fractionation during the lead-zinc smelting was observed.•The Cd isotopic fractionation could be well fitted by Rayleigh distillation model.•Results indicated that 88–93% of the Cd in sediments came from the slag and 7–12% from the dust.•Cd isotopes can be used as a promising tool to assess the contribution from various sources.