Mount Storm study
A 3-year study of coniferous foliage damaged by phytotoxic elements, compounds, and particulate matter in the Mt. Storm area of West Virginia and Maryland revealed that the major causal agents are waste products from coal-burning utility plants. The primary pollutant causing damage is sulfur dioxide and its by product sulfuric acid. The SO/sub 2/ in the ambient air of the study area causes most of the needle necrosis and eventually causes premature needle casting. The H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ causes short-long needle syndrome, reduction in terminal shoot elongation, and for premature needle casting of short needles. Fly ash particulates in the Mt. Storm area contain high concentrations of several elements and compounds, some of which are known to be phytotoxic, such as fluorides and sulfates. Iron, aluminum, and other compounds may or may not affect the trees. Gaseous and particulate fluorides in the area are from the burning of coal. Greenhouse and field studies of white, Scotch, and ponderosa pine seedlings demonstrated that fly ash slurries and hydrofluoric acid will cause two growth abnormalities excessive lateral bud production and excessive terminal stem growth. Innoculation of young emerging conifer needles with HF caused the short-long syndrome. Samples collected in six polluted areas in the northwestern US gave further evidence that HF and H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ could cause growth abnormalities. It will be impossible to cultivate the three species of conifers under healthy conditions in the Mt. Storm area until adequate abatement equipment is installed at large stationary emission sources of SO/sub 2/ fluoride and particulates in the area.
- OSTI ID:
- 6166769
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOL WASTES
AIR POLLUTION
ALUMINIUM
ASHES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COMBUSTION
CONIFERS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REGION III
FLY ASH
FOSSIL FUELS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUELS
GROWTH
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INJURIES
INORGANIC ACIDS
IRON
LEAVES
MARYLAND
MATERIALS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
POWER PLANTS
RESIDUES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SULFURIC ACID
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WASTES
WEST VIRGINIA