ORCID

Abstract

Cryoconite has been demonstrated to be an efficient accumulator of some classes of contaminants on glaciers in both mountain and polar environments, however the accumulation of contaminants in cryoconite in Iceland has received very little attention to date. To understand the spatial variability of natural and anthropogenic fallout radionuclides and metals on glaciers in Iceland, we present the first study of this region including both cryoconite from three glaciers: Virkisjökull; Skaftafellsjökull; and Falljökull, together with moss balls (‘glacier mice’) from Falljökull. The cryoconite samples and glacier mice were analysed using XRF spectrometry to assess their elemental composition and gamma spectrometry to identify, and quantify, fallout radionuclides, primarily 7Be, 137Cs, 241Am, excess 210Pb, and 40K. The results revealed that the cryoconite samples had similar compositions, influenced by local geology and natural sources of volcanic ash and dust. Higher concentrations of radionuclides and heavy metals were found in both cryoconite and glacier mice compared to control samples comprising nearby proglacial sediments. In comparison to other glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere, however, cryoconite from Icelandic glaciers contains some of the lowest activity concentrations of key radionuclides. Consequently, cryoconite deposits that are released and diluted during the melt and retreat of Icelandic glaciers are unlikely to be of environmental concern following transport to proglacial areas.

DOI

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175828

Publication Date

2024-08-27

Publication Title

Science of the Total Environment

Volume

951

ISSN

0048-9697

Organisational Unit

Faculty of Science and Engineering

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