Tracking historical lead pollution in the coastal area adjacent to the Yangtze River Estuary using lead isotopic compositions

The rapid economic development in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), China in the last three decades has had a significant impact on the environment of the East China Sea (ECS). Lead isotopic compositions of a 210Pb dated sediment core collected from the coastal ECS adjacent to the Yangtze River Estuary were analyzed to track the Pb pollution in the region. The baseline Pb concentration in the coastal ECS sediments before the industrialization in China was 32 μg g −1, and the corresponding 206Pb/ 207Pb ratio was 1.195. The high-resolution profiles of Pb flux and 206Pb/ 207Pb ratios had close relationships with the economic development and the history of the use of leaded gasoline in China, and they were clearly different from those of most European countries and United States. The combination of Pb concentration, sedimentary flux, Pb isotopic composition and 210Pb dating in the coastal ECS sediments revealed the historical Pb pollution in China.