Boron deposition on soil and native vegetation from geothermal emissions. [Acer macrophyllum; Quercus wislizeni; Pinus sabiniana]

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

OSTI ID:6933404

Lang, F J; Binghma, F T; Hendrix, F F; Crane, N L

Boron deposition, soil B, and foliage B were sampled in a field study around two geothermal generating units with different operating histories; the study also determined relative sensitivities of several native tree species to B in soil and foliage. Boron emissions from the older cooling tower, operational for 11 yr, were nearly 5 times greater than emissions from the newer cooling tower, operational for 2.5 yr. This difference was due to substantially greater B concentrations in circulating water at the older unit. Boron deposition was as great as 129.6 kg ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/ at the older unit and 4.2 kg ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/ at the newer unit. Soil B (saturation extract) was as great as 44.0 mg L/sup -1/ at the older unit and 0.6 mg L/sup -1/ at the newer unit. At a given rate of B deposition, soil B was more than 4 times greater at the older unit due to its longer operating history. At a given soil B level, the deciduous bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh) contained double the foliage B of the broadleaf evergreen, interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni A.DC.), and about 5 times greater foliage B than the conifer, Digger pine (Pinus sabiniana Dougl.). Foliage B thresholds for detectable levels of visible injury due to B toxicity were about 500 mg kg/sup -1/ for both bigleaf maple and interior live oak. These relationships suggest that more rapid B accumulation is responsible for higher levels of visible injury due to B in bigleaf maples than in other native tree species.

• Research Organization: Jones and Stokes Associates, Sacramento, CA
• OSTI ID: 6933404
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 15:3; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150600 -- Geothermal Energy-- Environmental Aspects
510200 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BORON
COOLING TOWERS
DATA
DEPOSITION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIELD TESTS
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
INFORMATION
INJURIES
LEAVES
MAPLES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NUMERICAL DATA
OAKS
PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
SEMIMETALS
SOILS
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TOWERS
TOXICITY
TREES