Pb pollution from leaded gasoline in South America in the context of a 2000-year metallurgical history

Modern lead (Pb) pollution from leaded gasoline in South America surpasses historical levels by threefold, even in regions with intense metallurgical activity. A 2000-year ice core record from Illimani glacier revealed that Pb emissions peaked during the Tiwanaku/Wari culture (AD 450-950), Inca empire (AD 1450-1532), colonial times, and early 20th-century tin production. The study used high-resolution ice core analysis to track Pb deposition, showing that post-1960s gasoline-related emissions dominate the region's anthropogenic Pb pollution history.

Eichler, A., Gramlich, G., Kellerhals, T., Tobler, L., & Schwikowski, M. (2015). Pb pollution from leaded gasoline in South America in the context of a 2000-year metallurgical history. Science Advances, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1400196