Furnace fuel, air pollution accumulated in snow and lichen growth on trees

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974 · Mich. Acad.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6453896

Brown, R T

Using accumulated snow sampled in March as the accumulator of air pollution, particulate matter, sulfates, and chlorides were determined by filtration and precipitation in 1970 and in 1973. At the snow sampling points on a steep hill, lichen cover estimates on sugar maple trees were also taken. Air pollution as measured by any of the three was inversely correlated with lichen cover on tree bark and inversely correlated with elevation since an inversion layer is often present and most of the city is in the valley. A dramatic reduction of air pollution resulted from a conversion of the University heating from coal burning furnaces to gas and oil burning furances. Lichens are beginning to recover as indicated by tiny lichens that have recently begun to grow.

• Research Organization: Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton
• OSTI ID: 6453896
• Journal Information: Mich. Acad.; (United States), Journal Name: Mich. Acad.; (United States) Vol. 9:2; ISSN MACDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
510200 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ALGAE
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BUILDUP
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CORRELATIONS
DEPOSITION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUNGI
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LICHENS
MASS TRANSFER
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SNOW
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
UPTAKE