Larch Tree Rings as a Tool for Reconstructing 20th Century Central European Atmospheric Mercury Trends

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02117
• Publication Date: 2018-09-07T15:00:42Z
• Authors: Tomáš Navrátil; Tereza Nováková; James B. Shanley; Jan Rohovec; Šárka Matoušková; Maria Vaňková; Stephen A. Norton
• Keywords: Mercury; Atmospheric emissions

We propose the tree rings of European Larch (Larix decidua) as a widely available and reliable geochemical archive local regional changes in atmospheric mercury (Hg). Mean Hg concentrations larch from 8 background sites across Czech Republic ranged 2.2 to 4.8 μg kg–1; maximum occurred period 1951–1970. At 3 impacted by Hg-emission sources [gold amalgamation processing, caustic soda production, lead (Pb) ore smelting] mean ring were significantly elevated relative sites. Changes temporally coherent with known activities at that would alter emissions; nearly simultaneous response indicated little or no translocation within bole. Based on present-day concentration 1.63 ng m–3 intensively monitored Global Mercury Observation System site most recent 2.8 kg–1 co-located trees, we developed simple distribution model between atmosphere rings. applied using observed countrywide reconstruct past central Europe. Modeled agreement annual means Monitoring Evaluation Programme observatories.