Rare earth elements in naturally grown fern Dicranopteris linearis in relation to their variation in soils in South-Jiangxi region (Southern China)

Ferns (Dicranopteris linearis) and soils, sampled from four rare earth mini ng areas and one non-mining area locating in South Jiangxi region, were cho sen for analysis of 15 rare earth elements (REES) by inductively coupled pl asma-mass spectrometry ICP-MS). The fern samples were divided into 4 parts: root, stem, petiole, and lamina. The soils of the same sites were also sam pled, and 4 soil layers were observed at the profile: A (0-20 cm depth), B (20-150 cm depth), C (150-400 cm depth), and D (rock). The distribution pat terns and transportation characteristics of REES of different soil layers a nd of different parts of D. linearis were studied. The results showed that in the soil layers, the Sigma REE (the sum of the concentrations of 15 REES ) of A layer, as well as B layer were lower than that of C layer, but Ce wa s relatively concentrated in A layer. The Sigma REE of different parts of D . linearis were lamina, root > stem > petiole. The REE distribution pattern s of D. linearis root were similar to the total REE distribution patterns o f the A layer of their host soils, especially to the soluble REE distributi on patterns of the A layer of their host soils. The REES were fractionated in their transportation in D. linearis. The abundances of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs, Gd to Lu and Y) in the stem, petiole, lamina are lower tha n those in the root. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.