Historical Lake Sediment Metal Concentrations from Norfolk, UK (1850s-2009)
Updated 3mo ago
2filesZIP
Available on 1 platform
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Description
The Environmental Information Data Centre provides measurements of sediment properties, radionuclides, and elements from 8 lakes in Norfolk, UK. The dataset offers a standardized matrix of variables like mercury, nickel, copper, zinc, and lead against stratigraphic depth, with radionuclide dating establishing a chronology from the mid-19th century to 2009.
Use Cases
Analyze temporal trends in lead, mercury, and zinc concentrations across 8 lakes to assess industrial pollution history.
Correlate sediment organic content with trace metal concentrations to study binding and mobility mechanisms.
Use radionuclide data (210Pb, 137Cs, 241Am) to validate and refine sediment age-depth models for chronological studies.
Investigate relationships between carbonate content and specific element values per mass to understand geochemical controls.
Strengths
Chronology is established using radionuclide dating (210Pb, 137Cs, 241Am), providing a reliable temporal framework.
Data covers 8 distinct lake sediment successions, allowing for comparative environmental analysis.
Includes a standardized matrix of multiple measured variables, including specific elements like mercury, nickel, copper, zinc, and lead.
Limitations
Temporal coverage is not uniform across all 8 lakes, with some records potentially starting only in the 20th century.
The dataset's structure and specific column definitions are not detailed in the provided input, requiring metadata review for analysis.
Geographic scope is limited to Norfolk, UK, which may not be representative of broader regional or global conditions.
Provenance
Source
Environmental Information Data Centre
Collection Method
Measurements of sediment properties, radionuclides, and elements in lake sediment successions.
Time Range
Mid-19th century (sometimes only 20th century) to 2009.
Freshness
Dataset metadata was last updated in March 2026, indicating maintained accessibility.
Geography
8 lakes in Norfolk, United Kingdom.
Data is provided in a ZIP file format; specific internal file structures and required tools for accessing the standardized matrix are unknown. Users should consult the provided DOI for full dataset details and potential license information.