Root uptake of lead by Norway spruce grown on ²¹⁰Pb spiked soils

TY - JOUR

T1 - Root uptake of lead by Norway spruce grown on 210Pb spiked soils

AU - Hovmand, Mads Frederik

AU - Nielsen, S. P.

AU - Johnsen, Ib

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - The root uptake of lead (Pb) by trees and the transfer of Pb by leaf litter deposition to the forest floor were investigated through a pot experiment with Norway spruce. Natural Pb and radio isotopic lead (210Pb) were determined in needles and twigs and in the pot soil spiked with 210Pb. Calculations of the specific activity in plant material and in the supporting pot soil showed that less than 2% of the Pb content of needles and twigs originates from root uptake and approximately 98% are deposited from the atmosphere. Atmospheric Pb has declined by a factor of 7 from 1980 to 2007 but is still a major pathway of Pb to vegetation and topsoils. The conclusion from the experiment is that the internal circulation of Pb through root uptake, translocation and litterfall, gives an insignificant input of Pb to the forest floor compared to atmospheric deposition.Measurements of 210Pb root uptake from labelled pot soils show that less than 2% of total lead content in conifer needles originates from the soil and 98% from direct deposition to the needle surfaces.

AB - The root uptake of lead (Pb) by trees and the transfer of Pb by leaf litter deposition to the forest floor were investigated through a pot experiment with Norway spruce. Natural Pb and radio isotopic lead (210Pb) were determined in needles and twigs and in the pot soil spiked with 210Pb. Calculations of the specific activity in plant material and in the supporting pot soil showed that less than 2% of the Pb content of needles and twigs originates from root uptake and approximately 98% are deposited from the atmosphere. Atmospheric Pb has declined by a factor of 7 from 1980 to 2007 but is still a major pathway of Pb to vegetation and topsoils. The conclusion from the experiment is that the internal circulation of Pb through root uptake, translocation and litterfall, gives an insignificant input of Pb to the forest floor compared to atmospheric deposition.Measurements of 210Pb root uptake from labelled pot soils show that less than 2% of total lead content in conifer needles originates from the soil and 98% from direct deposition to the needle surfaces.

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.09.038

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.09.038

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19013698

SN - 0269-7491

VL - 157

SP - 404

EP - 409

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

IS - 2

ER -