Reconstructing the history of heavy metal pollution in the southern Pennines from the sedimentary record of reservoirs: methods and preliminary results

Although the southern Pennine uplands have experienced industrially derived heavy metal pollution for almost two hundred years, an historical analysis of its depositional records has not yet been undertaken. The area has no natural lakes but has many reservoirs, and despite the potential for sediment disturbance due to fluctuating water levels, reservoir sediments can be used as a record of heavy metal pollution. A methodology for the selection of reservoirs with undisturbed sedimentary records, and the verification of sediment stratigraphy is proposed. Preliminary results of metal analysis from the Howden reservoir indicate trace metal contamination with Zn > Pb > Cr > Ni = Cu