1. Tree Rings Record of Long-Term Atmospheric Hg Pollution in the Monte Amiata Mining District (Central Italy): Lessons from the Past for a Better Future.
- Author
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Fornasaro, Silvia, Ciani, Francesco, Nannoni, Alessia, Morelli, Guia, Rimondi, Valentina, Lattanzi, Pierfranco, Cocozza, Claudia, Fioravanti, Marco, and Costagliola, Pilario
- Subjects
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MINING districts , *AIR pollution , *TREE-rings , *CHESTNUT , *MINE closures , *GEOTHERMAL power plants , *GEOTHERMAL resources - Abstract
Trees may represent useful long-term monitors of historical trends of atmospheric pollution due to the trace elements stored along the tree rings caused by modifications in the environment during a tree's life. Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) tree trunk sections were used to document the yearly evolution of atmospheric Hg in the world-class mining district of Monte Amiata (MAMD; Central Italy) and were exploited until 1982. An additional source of Hg emissions in the area have been the active geothermal power plants. A marked decrease (from >200 µg/kg to <100 µg/kg) in Hg contents in heartwood tree rings is recorded, likely because of mine closure; the average contents (tens of µg/kg) in recent years remain higher than in a reference area ~150 km away from the district (average 4.6 µg/kg). Chestnut barks, recording present-day Hg pollution, systematically show higher Hg concentrations than sapwood (up to 394 µg/kg in the mining area). This study shows that tree rings may be a good record of the atmospheric Hg changes in areas affected by mining activity and geothermal plants and can be used as a low-cost biomonitoring method for impact minimization and optimal resource and land management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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