Mercury concentrations in black spruce (Picea mariana Mill. B.S.P.) and lichens in boreal Quebec, Canada
- Author:
- Zhang L., Planas D. & Qian J.-L.
- Year:
- 1995
- Journal:
- Water, Air and Soil Pollution
- Pages:
- 81: 153-161
- Url:
Mercury content was analysed in black spruce bark and needles and in the epiphytic lichens
found growing on trees. The samples were collected in two distinct boreal forests of northeastern
Canada (province of Québec). The chosen sites were far from direct industrial mercurcy sources, and
were located close to man made lakes of different ages. The objective of the study was to determine
the role of atmospheric transport in the mercury contamination of trees growing in close proximity
to reservoirs, both old and recently flooded. The lichen samples contained the highest mercury
concentrations; 400-800 ng/g. They were several times higher than in the bark and one to two orders
of magnitude greater than that found in the needles. The mercury concentrations measured in the
lichens were significantly different between the two reservoir sites, whereas those of the needles and
bark were not. The mercury concentrations in the black spruce bark sampled near the reservoirs were
almost twice as high (,,d30 ng/g) as those measured in the bark of black spruce trees growing near
natural lakes (40--70 ng/g). However no differences were found between the mercury concentrations
of young needles sampled close to reservoirs and those sampled near natural lakes, suggesting the
existince of a relatively low but stable level of mercury in the local atmosphere.
- Id:
- 18176
- Submitter:
- zdenek
- Post_time:
- Monday, 01 November 2010 10:14