Arctic Heavy Metal Pollution Caused by Coal Burning

We all know there is no such thing as "clean coal"; the negative effects of coal burning are long lasting and far reaching. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, coal burning power plants in North America and Western Europe are responsible for heavy metal pollution in the Arctic. Natural News reports:

Researchers took an ice core sample from Greenland and analyzed it to determine levels of heavy metal deposits over time. They looked specifically for the metals cadmium, lead and thallium, and were able to measure monthly levels of the contaminants as far back as 1772.

The levels of all three pollutants surged between the years of 1850 and 1900, coinciding with the growth of rapid industrialism in North America and Europe. By the early 1900s, all three toxic metals were being deposited at a rate 10 times higher than before the Industrial Revolution.

Interestingly, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, there is a decrease in the rate of heavy metal deposits in the Arctic ice. I wonder if our current economic recession will demonstrate similar results.

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Posted by Jennifer Lance at March 18, 2009 12:45 AM