Analysis of Atmospheric Deposition of Heavy Metals Using Woody Vegetation

Atmospheric deposition was studied using poplar (Populus L.) leaves, which were collected from 41 sites uniformly distributed throughout the city of Blagoveshchensk. Unwashed leaves were ashed at 450°C. The ash was analyzed for the content of Ca, Na, Fe, Zn, Sr, Ba, Rb, Co, Cr, As, Th, Sb, Hf, Sc, and U using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Mercury was determined in dried, unashed leaves using a mercury analyzer. The normalization method was used to compensate for the natural variability of trace elements and identify anthropogenic sources of pollution. Sc was used as the normalizing element. Statistical processing of normalized concentrations included descriptive statistics, cluster, and factor analyses. Pollution assessment through the calculation of the enrichment factor showed that concentrations of most of the studied elements do not differ significantly from the background level. The exception is U, which is characterized as a moderately enriched element. Local emission points were identified. Statistical analysis of normalized data and factor value distribution maps showed that the sources of microelements in poplar leaf ash: vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, and atmospheric dust. This study demonstrates that biomonitoring, combined with statistical data processing, is an effective tool for assessing the state of the ground-level atmosphere.