SOIL LEAD LEVELS IN ORCHARDS AND ROADSIDES OF MISSION PENINSULA, MICHIGAN

Authors
Citation
Ma. Francek, SOIL LEAD LEVELS IN ORCHARDS AND ROADSIDES OF MISSION PENINSULA, MICHIGAN, Water, air and soil pollution, 94(3-4), 1997, pp. 373-384
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Environmental Sciences","Water Resources
ISSN journal
00496979
Volume
94
Issue
3-4
Year of publication
1997
Pages
373 - 384
Database
ISI
SICI code
0049-6979(1997)94:3-4<373:SLLIOA>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
The Pb content in orchard soils at Mission Peninsula, Michigan was det ermined to assess the impact of historical lead arsenate applications. Soil samples at 72 sites located in five orchards were collected at d epths of 2-, 20-, 50-, and 100 cm. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to quantify Pb levels (mu g g(-1)). Mean surface Pb levels at ind ividual orchards ranged from <1-136 mu g g(-1) and rapidly decreased w ith depth, to <1-5 mu g g(-1) at 100 cm. The impact of textural class and slope angle on Pb levels was also analyzed. Correlation coefficien ts linking Pb levels with textural class were weak, ranging from 0.21 to -0.07. Varying slope steepness and slope position within orchards f ailed to affect the spatial pattern of soil Pb. Soil Pb levels were al so compared at 5 sites along local roads with varying levels of automo bile traffic. Samples were collected 1 m from the roadside at the same depth intervals studied in orchards. Average daily traffic along the busiest roadsites ranged from 8200 to 16 000; these sites had Pb level s of 90-210 mu g g(-1). Such locales had Pb levels similar to the more intensively sprayed orchards.