School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
J Environ Manage. 2018 Jan 15;206:373-382. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.10.052. Epub 2017 Nov 2.
Copper (Cu) at ancient metallurgy sites represents the earliest instance of anthropogenically generated metal pollution. Such sites are spread across a wide range of environments from Eurasia to South America, and provide a unique opportunity to investigate the past and present extent and impact of metalworking contamination. Establishing the concentration and extent of soil Cu at archaeometallurgy sites can enhance archaeological interpretations of site use but can also, more fundamentally, provide an initial indication of contamination risk from such sites. Systematic evaluations of total soil Cu concentrations at ancient metalworking sites have not been conducted, due in part to the limitations of conventional laboratory-based protocols. In this paper, we first review what is known about Cu soil concentrations at ancient metallurgy sites. We then assess the benefits and challenges of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF) as an alternative, rapid technique for the assessment of background and contaminant levels of Cu in soils. We conclude that pXRF is an effective tool for identifying potential contamination. Finally, we provide an overview of some major considerations beyond total Cu concentrations, such as bioavailability assessments, that will need to be considered at such sites to move toward a complete assessment of environmental and human risk.
在古代冶金遗址中发现的铜（Cu）是人为产生金属污染的最早实例。这些遗址分布在从欧亚大陆到南美洲的广泛环境中，为研究过去和现在金属加工污染的范围和影响提供了独特的机会。确定考古冶金遗址土壤中铜的浓度和范围可以增强对遗址用途的考古解释，但更根本的是，可以初步表明这些遗址的污染风险。由于传统实验室方法的局限性，尚未对古代金属加工场的土壤总铜浓度进行系统评估。在本文中，我们首先回顾了已知的古代冶金遗址土壤铜浓度情况。然后，我们评估了便携式 X 射线荧光光谱法（pXRF）作为评估土壤中铜的背景和污染物水平的替代快速技术的优势和挑战。我们的结论是，pXRF 是识别潜在污染的有效工具。最后，我们概述了在这些遗址中需要考虑的一些除总铜浓度之外的重要问题，例如生物利用度评估，以便朝着全面评估环境和人类风险的方向迈进。
