Aerosols collected between 1994 and 1999 at more than 80 different sites af
fecting the atmospheric composition of the Northern Hemisphere have been me
asured for their Pb-206/Pb-207, Pb-208/Pb-207 and Pb-206/Pb-204 ratios and
Pb concentrations. The ratios are potentially useful for tracing sources of
pollution and the movement of air-masses on a global scale. A change in is
otopic composition compared to earlier measurements could be detected in th
e Western United States and parts of Europe, most probably due to long rang
e transport of Pb pollution from China and Russia, respectively, and an inc
reasing relative contribution of industrial Pb. The geographical variations
found in the Pb isotopic composition of the aerosols made it possible to b
roadly characterize different regions via the Pb-206/Pb-207 (Pb-208/Pb-207)
isotope ratios of the aerosols sampled: Eastern United States 1.173-1.231
(2.438-2.470); Western United States 1.159-1.188 (2.326-2.455); Canada 1.09
4-1.177 (1-.365-2.438); Mexico 1.188-1.197 (2.452-2.463); Japan 1.153-1.162
(2.435-2.443): China 1.141-1.177 (2.435-2.465): Germany 1.133-1.165 (2.405
-2.440); Spain & France 1.097-1.142 (2.372-2.410); Northern Italy 1.148-1.1
60(2.419-2.430); Southern Italy 1.108-1.121(2.376-2.387); Eastern Europe an
d Russia 1.112-1.164 (2.388-2.446); North Africa & Arabian Peninsula 1.096-
1.153 (2.361-2.431). Copyright (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd.