Bismuth in recent snow from Central Greenland: Preliminary results

We present here the first data on the occurrence of bismuth (Bi) in recent snow from central Greenland. They were obtained by analysing surface snow and a shallow snow core covering the past twenty years, using the new ultrasensitive laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry technique. Measured concentrations range from 0.66 to < 0.05 pg g−1. These are the lowest concentrations ever reported for precipitation. No significant time trend is observed during the past two decades. Bi appears to be probably mainly derived from volcanic emissions to the atmosphere, opening the way to obtaining time series of the past global volcanic activity through the analysis of this heavy metal in deep Greenland or Antarctic ice cores.