Recent and historical pollution legacy in high altitude Lake Marboré (Central Pyrenees): A record of mining and smelting since pre-Roman times in the Iberian Peninsula

A high-altitude lake in the Central Pyrenees, Lake Marboré, reveals that atmospheric metal pollution during the Roman Empire rivaled levels seen during the Industrial Period. Analysis of sediment cores showed significant increases in trace elements like lead, mercury, zinc, arsenic, and copper, particularly between 20 to 375 AD, linked to silver and lead mining and smelting in Southern Iberia. The study used statistical methods (PCA) and air mass back-trajectories to discern depositional processes and source areas of pollutants, finding that global emissions, especially from Almadén mines in central Spain, have influenced mercury levels over the last three millennia. This research underscores the long-term impact of mining on alpine ecosystems and highlights the need for sustainable management plans amid climate change and human pressure.

Corella, J. P., Sierra, M. J., Garralón, A., Millán, R., Rodríguez-Alonso, J., Mata, M. P., de Vera, A. V., Moreno, A., González-Sampériz, P., Duval, B., Amouroux, D., Vivez, P., Cuevas, C. A., Adame, J. A., Wilhelm, B., Saiz-Lopez, A., & Valero-Garcés, B. L. (2021). Recent and historical pollution legacy in high altitude Lake Marboré (Central Pyrenees): A record of mining and smelting since pre-Roman times in the Iberian Peninsula. Science of the Total Environment, 751, 141557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141557