Tracing lake pollution, eutrophication and partial recovery from the sediments of Windermere, UK, using geochemistry and sediment microfabrics

• Many lakes undergo anthropogenically driven eutrophication and pollution leading to decreasedwater and sediment quality. These effects can enhance seasonally changing lake redox conditions that may concentrate potentially toxic elements. Here we report the results of a multi-method geochemical and sediment microfabric analysis applied to reconstruct the history of cultural eutrophication and pollution of the North and South Basins of Windermere, UK. Eutrophication developed from the mid-19th to the earliest 20th centuries. Enhanced lake productivity is indicated by increased sedimentary delta C-13, and increased pollution by a higher concentration of metals (Pb, Hg, and As) in the sediment, likely enhanced by incorporation and adsorption to settling diatom aggregates, preserved as sedimentary laminae. In the South Basin, increasing sediment delta N-15 values occur in step with Zn, Hg, and Cu, linking metal enrichment to isotopically heavy nitrate (N) from anthropogenic sources. From around 1930, decreases in Mn and Fe-rich laminae indicate reduced deep-water ventilation, whereas periods of sediment anoxia increased, being most severe in the deeper North Basin. Strongly reducing sediment conditions promoted Fe and Mn reduction and Pb-bearing barite formation, hitherto only described from toxic minewastes and contaminated soils. From 1980 there was an increase in indicators of bottomwater oxygenation, although not to before 1930. But in the South Basin, the continued impacts of sewage are indicated by elevated sediment delta N-15. Imaging and X-ray microanalysis using scanning electron microscopy has shown seasonal-scale redoxmineralisation of Mn, Fe, and Ba related to intermittent sediment anoxia. Elevated concentrations of these metals and As also occur in the surficial sediment and provide evidence for dynamic redox mobilisation of potentially toxic elements to the lake water. Concentrations of As (up to 80 ppm), exceed international Sediment Quality Standards. This process may become more prevalent in the future with climate change driving lengthened summer stratification.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Paleolimnology

Multi-method

Cultural eutrophication

Itrax XRF core scanning

Isotopic analysis

Scanning electron microscopy

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)