THE USE OF TREE BARK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL-POLLUTION MONITORING IN THE CZECH-REPUBLIC

The paper describes the use of oak tree (Quercus robur, Quercus petrae a) bark for determining the distribution of air pollution by heavy met als and other elements in the western part of the Czech Republic, know n as Bohemia. The samples collected were analysed by instrumental neut ron activation analysis (INAA) in IRI TU Delft. To obtain sulphur conc entration radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis (RXRFA) was applied in CTU-FNSPE. Out of all the determined elements 24 (Al, As, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hf, Hg, La, Mn, Na, Ni, Rb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Th, Ti, U, V, W , Zn) were selected as the most important. Then the data were analysed by Monte Carlo-assisted factor analysis (MCAFA) with the aim of resol ving and identifying the environmental pollution sources. Some of the factors were interpreted as fly ash, coal combustion, Zn industry, was te incinerator plant, crustal material or metal industry. The geograph ical distribution patterns of the factors are also available. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.