A class of organic micropollutants, the phytotoxic nitrophenols, were analy
sed in the vegetation (beech leaves), from two different alpine sites (Val
Gerola and Val Masino) in the Lombardy Region (Northern Italy), using gas c
hromatography-mass spectrometry.
Leaves from the more damaged site (Val Gerola) had higher mean total nitrop
henol concentrations (313 ng/g) than the Val Masino samples (148 ng/g). Sin
ce the dinitrophenol levels in leaves are close to the concentrations exert
ing a phytotoxic effect in vitro, these pollutants presumably have an activ
e role in the symptoms of tree diseases in these alpine sites.