Organic acids: Differences in ice core records between Glacier 1, Tianshan, China and the polar areas

Formate (HCOO-), acetate (CH3COO-), oxalate (C2O42- and pyruvate (CO)C2O42- ) are detected in a 14.08-m-long ice core recovered in Glacier 1 at the Uru mqi riverhead, Tianshan, China, which is a mid-latitude alpine glacier (43 degrees 06'N, 86 degrees 49'E). the mean concentrations for the four organi c acids in recent four decades are (102.8 +/- 147.3), (392.3 +/- 390.8), (6 .9 +/- 14.8) and (4.2 +/- 8.3) ng/g, respectively, with the ratio for HCOO- /CH3COO- of 0.34 +/- 0.43. They represent the major acid components, and or iginate mainly from anthropogenic emission in the nearby industrial cities. Compared with Greenland and Antarctica, Glacier 1 is much higher in carbox ylic acids, which were not subjected to long distance transportation as wel l as complicated atmospheric reactions. The alpine glacier can be, therefor e, useful to reconstructing human pollution scenario to the regional atmosp here.