The biogeochemical cycling of chlorine and sulfur in permafrost is poorly understood and will be altered as permafrost thaws and degrades. In this study, the speciation of Cl and S was characterized using K-edge XANES spectroscopy for profiles collected from a Canadian high Arctic desert and a degrading permafrost peatland in sub-Arctic northern Sweden. Organochlorine fractions decreased with depth in the Canadian Arctic profile whereas they increased with depth in the Swedish peats. A high fraction of aliphatic Clorg was present from both regions compared to temperate climates, which is likely due to differences in the sources of organic matter. Sulfur species are more reduced as organic matter decays both with depth and along the thawing peatland gradient where flooded conditions lead to anoxic environments. As permafrost regions become destabilized due to global warming, the S and Cl cycles in permafrost regions will be impacted.

Chlorine and sulfur cycling in permafrost profiles

245th National Meeting (2013)

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