Survey of lead in vegetation, forest floor, and soils of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Technical Report · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5181522

Turner, R R; Bogle, M A; Baes, III, C F

To assess lead contamination in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, samples of vegetation, forest floor, and soil were collected at five spruce-fir and two hardwood sites in the park in 1982. Forest floor lead concentrations were generally less than values reported for similar sites in the northeastern United States and western Europe. As expected, lead concentrations generally increased (1) with increasing age of spruce and fir foliage, (2) with increasing degree of decomposition of forest floor materials, and (3) with increasing elevation for foliage and forest floor materials. Although the results of this study indicate cause for concern, periodic monitoring of lead and other metals in the park should be continued to provide early detection of significant changes. 12 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5181522
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-9416; ON: DE85018119
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FORESTS
LEAD
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MOUNTAINS
NAPAP
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SOILS
TOXICITY