According to the Chinese scientists, ice cores from the Himalaya, the world's highest mountain range, indicate a significant increase in pollution levels over the past few decades. Wang Ninglian, an associate researcher with the Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Cryopedolgy under the Chinese Academy of Sciences ( cas ) said six ice cores were removed from a glacier on Mount Xixabangma, which is located in central Himalaya, 7,100 metres above sea level.
The ice cores from the remote mountain regions are believed to offer an accurate record of atmospheric conditions for tens of thousands of years. Wang said the samples indicate that industrial development, especially the increasing number of motor vehicles, resulted in a substantial increase in the lead content in the glacier. He also stated that the density of methane in the glacier in Xixabangma is substantially higher than the ice cores from polar region. The ice cores, ranging from six to 164 metres in length, have been deposited over the past 20,000 to 30,000 years.
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