Atmospheric lead fallout over the last century recorded in Gulf of Lions sediments (Mediterranean Sea)

Six marine sediment cores from the Gulf of Lions continental slope (700–1700 m water depth) were analyzed for stable lead isotopes and 210Pb geochronology in order to reconstruct lead atmospheric fallout pattern during the last century. The detrital lead contribution is 25 μg g−1 and the mean sediment anthropogenic inventory is 110 ± 7 μg cm−2, a little bit higher than atmospheric deposition estimate. Anthropogenic lead accumulation in sediments peaked in early 1970s (1973 ± 2) in agreement with lead emissions features. For the period 1986–1997, the sediment signal also reflect the decrease of atmospheric lead described by independent atmospheric fallout investigations. The anthropogenic Pb deposition in the late 1990s was similar to the 1950s deposition, attesting thus of the output of European environmental policies.