The present study concerns the atmospheric 210Pb large scale distribution in the environment. This work begins with an experimental study concerning 210Pb atmospheric deposition flux measurements in rain, soils, and snow. A database has then been built grouping measurements performed during the last forty years. This database focuses on 210Pb concentration in surface air and deposition fluxes measured at the atmosphere-Earth's surface (artificial collectors, soils, and snow) and watersediment interfaces. The database is then exploited. Atmospheric 210Pb data are analysed qualitatively in terms of transport (atmospheric circulation) and deposition mechanisms, and used quantitatively for the validation of a general circulation model (GCM). In the last part, water-sediment flux data are statistically compared with atmospheric deposition flux data. This comparison is applied to the study of atmosphere-sediment transfert and leads to distinguished four different classes of aquatic systems.
