Uporaba 210Pb za datiranje in sledenje procesom v okolju

210Pb je radioaktivni izotop z razpolovno dobo 22,2 let. Nahaja se tako v zraku kot v Zemljini skorji in v živih organizmih. Uporabimo ga lahko za spremljanje erozije ter določanje starosti useda na kopnem in v jezerih ter morjih do največ 200 let nazaj. Uporabljamo ga tudi za oceno onesnaženosti vode, rastlin in prsti s svincem človeškega izvora. Poleg tega lahko ugotovimo, kolikšen delež svinca v različne dele rastlin pride iz tal in kolikšen iz zraka.

Applications of 210Pb for dating sediment layers and tracking environmental processes

210Pb is a radioactive isotope with a half life of 22,2 years. It is present in air, Earth’s crust as well as in living oragnisms. It can be used for following erosion processes and dating sediment layers on shore or on seabed that are up to 200 years old. 210Pb can also be used to estimete degree of antropogenic lead pollution in water, plants and soil. Another possible application of 210Pb is to find out the share of lead present in a plant that comes from air and the share that comes from soil.