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Estimating emission source of lead using 210Pb specific activity (210Pb/Pb) and zinc as tracers in Slovenian forest soils

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Abstract

Specific activity of 210Pb (210Pb/Pb) is a good indicator for distinguishing local and remote emission sources of Pb deposited on some forest floors in Slovenia. Another parameter (zinc in soil) gives additional information on possible emission sources and distance of Pb transported from the source. The procedure based on 210Pb activity measurements and non-destructive Pb and Zn determination is rather simple, and not necessary any chemical pre-treatments with strong acids. The soils investigated in this study were collected from several temperate forest sites (Žirovski Vrh, Idrija, Kočevski Rog, Pohorje, Gorišnica, Rakitna, Hotavlje, Otovci, Ptujska gora and Puče) in Slovenia where high level of Pb contamination has been known in some places. Regression analyses of the results suggest an applicability of the proposed procedure for estimating emission sources and atmospheric transportation of Pb.

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Acknowledgments

The present authors would appreciate Prof. Emeritus Ivan Kobal and Dr. Janja Vaupotič of Jozef Stefan Institute in Slovenia for preparing everything that needed to continue the present research work. They gratefully acknowledge Mr. Noriaki YAMASHITA (Seiko EG&G Co. Ltd., Japan) for technical support on gamma spectrometry, and Dr. Asta Gregorič (Jozef Stefan Institute, Slovenia) for helping geological description of the sites investigated in this study.

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  1. Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8628, Japan

    Ryoko Fujiyoshi, Takeshi Ichikawa, Kazumasa Okamoto & Takashi Sumiyoshi

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  1. Ryoko Fujiyoshi
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  2. Takeshi Ichikawa
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  3. Kazumasa Okamoto
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  4. Takashi Sumiyoshi
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Correspondence to Ryoko Fujiyoshi.

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Fujiyoshi, R., Ichikawa, T., Okamoto, K. et al. Estimating emission source of lead using 210Pb specific activity (210Pb/Pb) and zinc as tracers in Slovenian forest soils. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 79–87 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4136-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4136-z

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