Note: Front Cover -- Water Quality in the Third Pole -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of contributors -- About the editors -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- I. Atmosphere -- 1. Chemical components and distributions in precipitation in the Third Pole -- 1.1 Background -- 1.1.1 Third Pole region -- 1.2 Precipitation inorganic chemistry in the Third Pole -- 1.2.1 Monsoon versus nonmonsoon composition of major ions and trace elements in precipitation over the Third Pole -- 1.2.2 Sources and transport mechanisms of major ions and trace elements in the Third Pole -- 1.3 Mercury (Hg) in precipitation over the Third Pole -- 1.3.1 Spatial distribution of total Hg concentration in precipitation and its wet deposition flux -- 1.3.2 Seasonal variation of total Hg concentration and total Hg wet deposition flux -- 1.3.3 Potential sources of Hg in precipitation over the Third Pole region -- 1.4 Carbonaceous matters -- 1.4.1 Carbonaceous matters (dissolved organic carbon) in wet precipitation over the Third Pole -- 1.4.2 Dissolved organic carbon concentration and deposition over the three sites in the Third Pole -- 1.4.3 Dissolved organic carbon sources -- 1.4.4 Source regions of fossil fuel combustion-derived dissolved organic carbon at Nam Co -- 1.4.5 Light absorption characteristics of dissolved organic carbon -- 1.5 Summary -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 2. Chemical components and distributions of aerosols in the Third Pole -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Carbonaceous species and aerosol composition over Third Pole -- 2.3 Secondary organic aerosol formation, aging, and water-soluble organic carbon/organic carbon ratio -- 2.4 Major ions in aerosols -- 2.5 Mercury and other elements in aerosols over Third Pole -- 2.6 Source and transport mechanism of aerosols to Third Pole -- 2.6.1 Source of aerosols to Third Pole and seasonal variability. , 2.6.2 Transport mechanism of aerosols to Third Pole -- 2.7 Summary and recommendations -- Acknowledgments -- References -- II. Glaciers -- 3. Chemical components and distributions in glaciers of the Third Pole -- 3.1 Background -- 3.2 Major ions -- 3.2.1 Concentration level and spatial distribution -- 3.2.2 Seasonal variation -- 3.2.3 Potential sources -- 3.2.4 Historical change -- 3.3 Trace elements -- 3.3.1 Introduction -- 3.3.2 Concentrations of trace elements -- 3.3.3 Spatial variation -- 3.3.4 Seasonal variation -- 3.3.5 Historical change -- 3.4 Persistent organic pollutants -- 3.4.1 Levels and spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cryoconites -- 3.4.2 Historical changes to persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- 3.5 Carbonaceous matter -- 3.5.1 Black carbon and organic carbon -- 3.5.1.1 Spatial distribution -- 3.5.1.2 Historical change of black carbon -- 3.5.1.3 Potential sources of black carbon -- 3.5.1.4 Impact of black carbon and organic carbon on surface snow albedo, radiative forcing, and glacier melt -- 3.5.2 DOC -- 3.5.2.1 Spatial distribution -- 3.5.2.2 DOC deposition and export flux -- 3.5.2.3 DOC characteristics -- DOC light absorption -- DOC fractionation -- DOC bioavailability -- 3.6 Mineral dust and its influence on glacier melt -- 3.6.1 Introduction -- 3.6.2 Spatial-temporal distribution -- 3.6.3 Sources of mineral dust -- 3.6.4 Influences of mineral dust in glacier meltwater -- 3.6.5 Historical change -- 3.7 Summary -- Acknowledgment -- References -- III. Rivers and Springs -- 4. Inorganic components in river waters in the Third Pole -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.1.1 Background -- 4.1.2 Significance of the study -- 4.2 River catchments -- 4.2.1 Geology of the major river catchments on the Third Pole -- 4.2.1.1 The South Third Pole river system -- Indus -- Ganges. , Yarlung Tsangpo (upstream of the Brahmaputra) -- Nu Jiang (upstream of the Salween) -- Lantsang Jiang (upstream of the Mekong River) -- 4.2.1.2 The Central and East Third Pole river system -- The Yangtze River -- Zhajia Tsangpo -- 4.2.1.3 The North-East Third Pole river system -- The Yellow River -- Hei He -- Shule He -- Buha He -- 4.2.1.4 The North-West Third Pole river system -- Amu Darya -- Tarim River -- 4.2.2 Glacial rivers -- 4.2.2.1 Glacial rivers in the South Third Pole -- 4.2.2.2 Glacial rivers in the Central-East Third Pole -- 4.2.2.3 Glacial rivers in the North-East Third Pole -- 4.2.3 Glacial rivers in the North-West Third Pole -- 4.3 Water ionic chemistry in rivers on the Third Pole -- 4.3.1 Spatial variations of the major ions in rivers of the Third Pole -- 4.3.2 Temporal variations of the major ions in rivers of the Third Pole -- 4.4 Characterization of major ions in rivers of the Third Pole -- 4.4.1 Major sources of ions and the controlling factors in rivers of the Third Pole -- 4.5 Dissolved trace elements and water quality assessment in rivers of the Third Pole -- 4.5.1 Dissolved trace elements in rivers of the Third Pole -- 4.5.2 Water quality assessment in the rivers of the Third Pole -- 4.6 Summary and perspectives -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 5. Nutrients and organic carbons in river waters of the Third Pole -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 River catchments -- 5.2.1 The major river catchments on the Tibetan Plateau -- 5.2.2 The glacial river catchments on the Tibetan Plateau -- 5.3 Export of carbon and nitrogen in major rivers of the Tibetan Plateau -- 5.3.1 Export of riverine dissolved organic carbon -- 5.3.2 Export of riverine dissolved organic nitrogen -- 5.3.3 Concentration ratio of riverine dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen in major rivers of the Tibeta. , 5.3.4 Export of organic carbon in glacial rivers of the Tibetan Plateau -- 5.4 Concentrations and spatial distribution of persistent organic pollutants in the water of the Koshi River -- 5.4.1 Sampling region -- 5.4.2 Concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in the Koshi River -- 5.4.3 Spatial distribution of persistent organic pollutants in the Koshi River -- 5.5 Total suspended insoluble particles in rivers of the Third Pole -- 5.5.1 Scenario in the Third Pole -- 5.5.2 Factors and impact of insoluble particles in river water -- 5.5.3 Rivers of the Third Pole region and total suspended solids (insoluble particles) -- 5.5.4 Evolving susceptibility, crisis, and hazards -- 5.6 Summary and perspectives -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 6. Geochemical constituents in hot spring waters in the Third Pole -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Sampling locations and data sources -- 6.3 Geological setup of the area -- 6.4 Results and discussion -- 6.4.1 Major ion chemistry -- 6.4.2 Dissolved silica -- 6.4.3 Stable water isotopes (δ18O and δD) -- 6.5 Stable carbon isotope (δ13CDIC) in alkalinity -- Acknowledgments -- References -- IV. Lakes -- 7. Inorganic components in lake waters in the Third Pole -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 The composition of major ions in the lakes of the Third Pole region -- 7.3 Mercury and other elements -- 7.3.1 Trace elements in the lakes of the Third Pole -- 7.3.2 Mercury in the lakes of the Third Pole -- 7.3.3 Water quality index and risk assessment -- 7.3.4 Reference dose and hazard quotient for each element in the lake water -- 7.4 Summary -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 8. Nutrients and organic carbons in lake waters of the Third Pole -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Nutrients -- 8.2.1 Status of lake water nutrients in the Third Pole -- 8.3 Persistent organic pollutants -- 8.3.1 Concentrations. , 8.3.2 Spatial distribution of POPs in Nam Co Lake -- 8.3.3 Air-water gas exchange of POPs in Nam Co Lake -- 8.3.4 Historical variations of POPs in the sediment of Yamzho Yumco Lake -- 8.4 Carbonaceous matter -- 8.4.1 Carbonaceous matters over the Third Pole -- 8.4.2 Sources of carbonaceous matters in the lakes of the Tibetan Plateau -- 8.5 Summary -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Executive summary -- A.1 Atmosphere -- A.2 Glaciers -- A.3 Rivers -- A.4 Lakes -- References -- Author Index -- Subject Index -- Back Cover.