Lead emissions dramatically decreased after the phasing out of leaded gasoline. However, Vladislav Chrastný et al. recently evaluated the impact of Pb originating from unleaded gasoline in a relatively pristine area in Subarctic NE Norway. The influence of different endmembers on the overall Pb emissions was determined using Pb isotope tracing applied on snow, lichen, and topsoil samples. The results revealed that unleaded gasoline and diesel remain a source of atmospheric Pb and that lichens are suitable bioindicators for this purpose.
Chrastný V., Šillerová H., Vítková M., Francová A., Jehlička J., Kocourková J., Aspholm P.E., Nilsson L.O., Berglen T.F., Jensen H.K.B., Komárek, M., 2018. Unleaded gasoline as a significant source of Pb emissions in the Subarctic. Chemosphere 193, 230-236.
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