Accumulation of Airborne Trace Pollutants by Arctic Plants and Soil

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Plant and soil samples from 4 locations in Spitsbergen (Norway) were analysed for major ions, heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and chlorinated pesticides. The results indicate that trace amounts of these substance groups result from a number of different sources, namely from subsoil material, local emissions and long range atmospheric transport. A comparison of inorganic and organic micropollutant concentrations allows a distinction between trace substance uptake from soil or air. The correlation of plant and air concentrations makes it obvious that elevated accumulation rates of heavy metals in plants result from low level transport of particles. PAH are very effectively retained by species with large surface areas and represent particle concentrations in the air. Benzohexachloride in plants results from precipitation water rather than from direct uptake of gaseous traces.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: