HR: 0830h
AN: B21D-0749    [PDF]
TI: Iodine in Rivers: Indicator of Geologic Effect on Iodine Deficiency Disorders?
AU: * Huh, Y
EM: huh@earth.northwestern.edu
AF: Northwestern University, 1850 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208 United States
AU: Stewart, A
EM: astewart@liv.ac.uk
AF: Department of Public Health, 24 Pall Mall, Liverpool, L3 6AL United Kingdom
AB: A contrast in goiter prevalence between populations living north and south of the Main Karakoram Thrust (MKT) in northeastern Pakistan suggests that plate tectonics may be involved. We report ICP-MS measurements of the total dissolved iodine levels in the headwater tributaries of the Indus River draining either side of the MKT. For global geochemical context, we also analyzed samples from the Lena, Yana, Kolyma, Indigirka, and Anadyr in eastern Siberia, the Orinoco in tropical South America, and rivers in western China and Tibet. We find statistically significant difference in iodine concentration between the right bank tributaries of the Indus draining the Karakoram metamorphic complex north of the MKT and the left bank tributaries draining the Kohistan-Ladakh island arc south of the MKT. At least in these rivers, lithology and the tectonic exposure appear to be more important than atmospheric transport and deposition.
DE: 1030 Geochemical cycles (0330)
DE: 1045 Low-temperature geochemistry
DE: 1065 Trace elements (3670)
DE: 1806 Chemistry of fresh water
DE: 4885 Weathering
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting