Effects of zinc and cadmium pollution on vegetation and soils

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1971

OSTI ID:6426438

Buchauer, M J

The fate of emitted heavy metals and the effects of zinc and cadmium on vascular plants has been investigated and the relative importance of pollution and fire as causal agents of the vegetation damage evaluated at the Lehigh Gap area in Pennsylvania was evaluated. Soil and foliage samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with up to 8% zinc and 1500 ppM cadmium by weight found in the air-dried, less than two mm fraction soil horizons. Approximately 90% of added metals are retained in the upper 15 cm of the soil. Trees near the smelters contained up to 4500 ppM zinc and 70 ppM cadmium by weight in overdried foliage. Elevated concentrations of zinc were detected in soil and vegetation up to 10 km west and 20 km east of the smelters. In sand culture nutrient solutions, 10 ppM cadmium and 100 ppM zinc were lethal to seedlings of Quercus rubra and acer Rubrum while Arenaria patula tolerated 100 ppM zinc with no visible effects. Forests in burned and unburned areas on Blue Mountain were sampled for density and percent cover of tree, shrub, and herb species. Sassafras albidum and Nyssa sylvatica are among the most common tree species in the severely denuded areas. Nearly all species which normally invade burned areas are absent or rare at Lehigh Gap. High soil metal levels, erosion, and desiccation are the main factors preventing revegetation of the barren areas of Lehigh Gap. 106 references.

• Research Organization: Rutgers--the State Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6426438
• 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.
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CADMIUM
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REGION III
FIRES
FORESTS
HERBS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
PENNSYLVANIA
PLANTS
POLLUTION
PRODUCTIVITY
SHRUBS
SMELTERS
SOILS
SPECTROSCOPY
TOXICITY
TREES
USA
ZINC