Elemental contents of plants growing on soil-covered retorted shale

Journal Article · · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5065044

Schwab, A P; Lindsay, W L; Smith, P J

The concentrations of several potentially toxic elements (F, B, Mo, Pb, Ni, Co, Cd, Cr, Hg, Se, and As) were determined in plants growing on various depths of soil covering retorted (Paraho) shale. The plants that were sampled include: Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), western wheat-grass (Agropyron smithii), Sherman's big bluegrass (Poa ampla), Utah sweetvetch (Hedysarum boreale), and winterfat (Ceratoides lanata). The F levels were elevated in some of the plants growing on 30 cm of soil over shale. The concentrations of Mo and Cu/Mo ratios in the plants indicate that molybdenosis could be expected with livestock grazing on revegetated plants. Increasing the depth of soil cover reduced the Mo levels, but the second year's data indicate that increasing the soil depth may only temporarily reduce the potential molybdenosis problem. The plant levels of Pb, Co, Cd, and Hg were below analytical detection limits. The plant concentrations of Ni, As, Se, B, and Cd were too low to be of environmental concern.

• Research Organization: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins
• OSTI ID: 5065044
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Vol. 12:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BORON
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
CADMIUM
CHROMIUM
COBALT
FLUORINE
LEAD
MERCURY
MOLYBDENUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
NICKEL
PLANTS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SELENIUM
SPENT SHALES
REVEGETATION
ARSENIC
CATTLE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
OIL SHALES
QUANTITY RATIO
SOILS
ANIMALS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DATA
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HALOGENS
INFORMATION
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
METALS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
RUMINANTS
SEMIMETALS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
041000* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Environmental Aspects
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560305 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)