RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL CADMIUM AND LEAD EMISSIONS FROM A SWEDISH ALUMWORKS, 1726-1840

Cadmium and lead emissions from historical alum production were estima ted from element analysis of shale and data on the use of shale and ot her raw materials. The total cadmium and lead content in the shale was similar to 2.6 and 10 tonnes, respectively. The works constructed the ir own lead pans and purchased similar to 260 tonnes of lead to do so. It is assumed that a minor part of the metals in the shale were emitt ed to the air and the bulk was deposited in bings of used shale, where as the share of air emissions from the construction of the lead pans w as high. The resulting immission pattern for cadmium is thus character ized by a dispersion < 500 m while substantial amounts of lead were de posited at least 2 km away. Assuming a uniform dispersion within 5 and 20 km, respectively, the cadmium and sulphur deposition rates around the works were similar to pre-industrial rates (Cd 0.1 mg/m(2)/year an d S 100 mg/m(2)/year) while the lead deposition reached a value of 150 mg/m(2)/year, if dispersed within 2 km.