Heavy metal pollution in Ancient Nara, Japan, during the eighth century

Kawahata, Hodaka; Yamashita, Shusuke; Yamaoka, Kyoko; Okai, Takashi; Shimoda, Gen; Imai, Noboru

doi:10.1186/2197-4284-1-15

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

Table 1 Soil metal concentrations and Pb isotopic ratios for samples from Ancient Nara and Naganobori mine

From: Heavy metal pollution in Ancient Nara, Japan, during the eighth century

Site	Sample	Age	Sample	Hg ppb	Cu ppm	Pb ppm	Fe ppm	Mn ppm	Co ppm	Ni ppm	Zn ppm	²⁰⁸Pb/ ²⁰⁶Pb	²⁰⁷Pb/ ²⁰⁶Pb
A	Dark gray gravel containing copper slag	Middle eighth century	1-A	92	370	100	34,000	170	21	14	60	2.094	0.850
A	Dark gray gravel containing copper slag	Middle eighth century	1-B	66	57	32	36,000	240	23	14	52
A	Dark gray clay	Twelfth century	2	298	62	18	18,000	140	12	N.D.	26
A	Light orange-colored sand	Sixteenth century	3	255	56	210	56,000	170	27	29	120
B	Brownish soil containing wood debris	Late eighth century	100	229	18	90	24,000	550	17	11	47
B	Dark gray soil containing wood debris	Late eighth century	106	207	8.6	130	14,000	95	9	3.3	30	2.093	0.851
B	Dark gray soil containing wood debris	Late eighth century	118	133	12	16	15,000	98	7.8	3.5	28
C	River bed	Just before the eighth century	203	45	5.6	200	5,800	92	5.2	4.1	23	2.093	0.851
C	Soil preparation for Heijo-kyo	Early to middle eighth century	204	86	11	1,100	30,000	630	17	15	38	2.093	0.851
C	Soil preparation for Heijo-kyo	Early to middle eighth century	205	78	4.8	470	12,000	520	9.4	9.4	27
C	Muddy soil around pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	206	92
C	Muddy soil around pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	207	59	5.7	380	10,000	140	4.9	5.7	20
C	Muddy soil burying the well-frame	Eighth century	201	107	4.6	500	8,200	150	6.3	5.1	25	2.093	0.851
C	Muddy soil burying the well-frame	Eighth century	202	103	5.7	15	7,400	140	8.8	6.7	50
C	Muddy soil in dump site around smithy	Eighth century	208	157	18	1,200	57,000	2,300	32	22	39	2.093	0.851
C	Muddy soil in dump site around smithy	Early ninth century	209	155
C	Muddy soil in paddy field	Medieval period	210	212	9.3	18	24,000	200	7.2	6.5	26
C	Muddy soil	Age of 1870 to 1960	211	521	21	230	11,000	190	4.8	11	50
C	Muddy soil in pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	212	141
C	Muddy soil in pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	213	165
C	Muddy soil in pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	214	118
C	Muddy soil in pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	215	104
C	Muddy soil in pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	216	137
C	Muddy soil in pillar hole	Early to middle eighth century	217	106
C	Muddy soil in paddy field	Medieval period	218	185
D	Brownish sandy soil	Late eighth century	31	276	13	740	61,000	1,200	20	10	110
D	Dark gray silty soil	Middle eighth century	34	298	14	880	55,000	730	24	13	140	2.093	0.851
D	Dark gray sandy soil	Very early eighth century	38	39	2.3	13	21,000	320	14	N.D.	35
Naganobori mine
	Slag	300,000	360	180,000	1,800	500	3.9	8,000	2.092	0.846
	Slag	110,000	62	210,000	1,100	81	1.2	1,400	2.092	0.847
	Chrysocolla	620,000	21	270	8.1	N.D.	N.D.	4,100	2.091	0.847

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