Smouldering combustion governs the burning of many materials in the built and natural environments. Smouldering is flameless, heterogeneous combustion which occurs when oxygen reacts with the surface of a solid fuel. Understanding the conditions which will result in the ignition and smouldering of a porous fuel is important and the phenomena involved are complex and coupled, involving heat and mass transfer, and chemical kinetics. This thesis reports experimental studies of the ignition, spread, suppression and emissions from reactions in porous media. Similar experimental techniques are shown in this thesis to be applicable when studying a wide range of solids which undergo self-sustaining reactions. This thesis is presented in a manuscript style. Each chapter takes the form of an independent paper which has been prepared for journal publication and as such, each chapter can stand on its own as a piece of research. A final chapter summarizes the findings and conclusions and suggests further areas of research. Chapter 1 presents a study of self-sustaining decomposition of ammonium nitrate containing inorganic fertilizer. This is of importance to the shipping industry which transports these materials in large quantities. Upon exposure to a heat source, ammonium nitrate may undergo exothermic decomposition which can propagate through the material, posing safety and economic threats. This reaction does not involve oxygenbased chemistry, but has many similarities to the propagation of a smoulder front in a porous material. Small-scale experiments to investigate the self-sustaining decomposition (SSD) behaviour of NPK (nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous) 16.16.16 fertilizer were undertaken. Experiments showed that this material will undergo self-sustaining decomposition and are used to formulate a reaction framework. Findings were applied to the events that occurred aboard the Ostedijk in 2007. Chapter 2 is a study of smoulder in polyurethane foam to study the relationship between sample size, critical heat flux and spread rate. Smouldering fires are the leading cause of residential fire deaths in developed countries and polyurethane foam is ubiquitous in the modern world. The critical heat flux for ignition was found to decrease with increasing sample size and the spread rate was found to be a function of the sample size, smoulder propagation depth and the applied heat flux. This is the first time that results on the effect of sample size on smouldering have been reported in the literature and these can be used to aid the extrapolation of small-scale flammability testing results to large scale scenarios. Chapter 3 presents an experimental investigation into the ignition of porous fuels by hot particles. This is related to the problem of spotting ember ignition in wildland fires which is a major, but poorly understood, spread mechanism. The process of spotting occurs in wildland fires when fire-lofted embers or hot particles land downwind, leading to ignition of new, discrete fires. The work studies the ignition of a fuel as a function of ember size and temperature. Metal particles are used as a proxy for burning embers and powdered cellulose to represent the forest fuel. Relationships between the size and temperature of the particle required for flaming and smouldering ignitions are found. These results are used to assess the ability of hot-spot ignition theory to determine the particle size–temperature relationship required for ignition of a cellulose fuel bed. Chapter 4 is an investigation into the suppression of smouldering coal. Subsurface coal fires are a significant global problem with fires in China alone estimated to consume up to 200 million tons of coal per year. As global demand for coal increases, accidental fires are a waste of a useful energy resource as well as a source of pollution and greenhouse gases. The results are the first attempt reported in the literature to study the suppression of these fires under controlled laboratory conditions. The ignition, spread and suppression of subsurface coal fires were studied using small-scale laboratory experiments. Time to ignition was seen to depend on particle size with small and large particles resulting in long times to ignition, while medium sized particles resulted in the shortest time to ignition. The maximum temperature, spread rate and mass lost were found to be independent of particle size above a critical particle size. The effectiveness of three systems for delivery of a suppression agent were assessed – direct injection, shower and spray. The effect of particle size on the water required for extinguishing using a spray was found to be weak. Chapter 5 presents an experimental investigation of the smouldering behaviour of peat. This is of particular interest in understanding the impact of smouldering fires on the earth system. The longer burn durations and different combustion dynamics of smouldering compared to flaming means that they have been shown to consume large amounts of biomass in, and contribute significantly to the emissions from, natural fires occurring in peatlands. The dynamics of smouldering peat in shallow, strong fronts was studied in the Fire Propagation Apparatus and a smoulder reaction framework with two burning regimes is presented. The first regime is peat smouldering and was found to be controlled by the applied heat flux and the second regime corresponded to char smouldering and was more sensitive to the flow of oxidizer. Chapter 6 complements Chapter 5 with an analysis of the CO and CO2 emissions for smouldering and flaming peat. This data can be used with large-scale measurement techniques to improve emission estimates. The emissions are found to be dependent of the burning regime and the type of combustion with flaming resulting in higher fluxes of CO2 and lower fluxes of CO compared to peat smouldering. Char smouldering resulted in the highest yields of CO and CO2. The large majority of emissions (85% of CO2 and 97% of CO) are released during the smoulder phase of the reaction. This highlights the differences in the chemical processes occurring under these two modes of combustion. Chapter 7 summarizes the research undertaken in this thesis and presents possible further work.

Peatlands are unique habitats that have absorbed large amounts of carbon dioxide and locked it away as carbon buried in peat for millennia. In the UK, blanket peatlands form one of the largest terrestrial stores of carbon (Milne and Brown, 1997). Recent research suggests that the carbon sequestering potential and carbon stores of UK blanket peatlands are at risk from changes in land use practices and climate. Although, to date, little research has considered blanket peatland at a landscape scale and a comprehensive understanding of land use and degradation impact upon carbon sequestration has not been gained. This thesis presents a study of Dartmoor, a blanket peatland in south west England vulnerable to climate change (Clark et al, 2010). A landscape scale carbon inventory, using a methodology designed for blanket peatlands is presented. Nearly 1000 peat depths and 30 cores were taken using stratified sampling across Dartmoor’s landscape. Functional relationships between peat depth, bulk density and carbon content and topographic parameters were found. In arc GIS 9.3 these were used to model landscape scale carbon, this estimates that Dartmoor contained 9.7 (-2.91 + 2.97) Mt of carbon, a value similar to that of the national inventory (Bradley et al, 2005). The thesis then considers the impact of drainage and degradation on carbon accumulation. Fifteen cores were dated from a drained, degraded site with a history of burning and control site using Spheroidal Carbonaceous Particles (SCPs) and radionuclide techniques. Previous studies have raised concern surrounding accuracy dating recent peats. Results indicate that although dating was largely successful, some discrepancies existed related to poor calibration of SCPs and mobility of radionuclides. To avoid error in dating, it was concluded that multiple dates should be used per core. With consideration of this, carbon accumulation was found to be active but significantly lower in the degraded site and unchanged in the drained site. Further analysis suggested that this outcome may vary with changing management and topographic situations. Future carbon accumulation at a landscape scale was calculated under different scenarios. This found degradation could potentially reduce carbon sequestration on Dartmoor by up to 32%. Economic valuation of accumulation values was used to demonstrate how this data could be used to inform management. This thesis provides an insight into the carbon storage and threats to Dartmoor, an under investigated, yet threatened blanket peatland environment. This helps broaden the spatial

Changes in monsoon patterns not only affect ecosystems and societies but also the global climate system in terms of heat energy and humidity transfer from the equator to higher latitudes. However, understanding the mechanisms that drive monsoon variability on longer timescales remains a challenge, partly due to sparse paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic data. This thesis, which contributes new hydroclimate data sets for the Asian monsoon region, seeks to advance our understanding of the mechanisms that contributed to Southeast Asian summer monsoon variability in the past. Moreover, it explores how past climatic conditions may have impacted societies and ecosystems. In this study lake sediment and peat sequences from northeastern and southern Thailand have been investigated using organic geochemistry, and more specifically the stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition of specific biomarkers (n-alkanes, botryococcenes, and highly branched isoprenoids). The hydrogen isotopic composition of leaf waxes (δDwax) in Thailand was shown to relate to the amount of precipitation and the extent of the El Niño Southern Oscillation.  Higher values of δDwax can be interpreted as reflecting relatively dry climatic conditions, whereas lower values relate to wetter conditions. The hydroclimate reconstruction for northeastern Thailand, based on the sedimentary record of Lake Kumphawapi, suggests higher moisture availability between ca. 10,700 cal. BP and ca. 7,000 cal. BP likely related to a strengthened early Holocene summer monsoon. Moisture availability decreased during the mid-Holocene, but seems to have increased again around 2,000 years ago and has fluctuated since. The high-resolution Lake Pa Kho peat sequence, which allows for a sub-centennial reconstruction of moisture availability, indicates that the wettest period occurred between ca. 700 and ca. 1000 CE whereas driest intervals were from ca. 50 BCE to ca. 700 CE and from ca. 1300 to ca. 1500 CE. Hydroclimate comparison of Pa Kho’s δDwax record with other paleoclimate records from the Asian-Pacific region suggests that El Niño-like conditions led to Northeastern Thailand being wetter, whereas La Niña-like conditions led to drier conditions. Regional hydroclimate variability also greatly influenced the Angkor Civilization, which flourished between ca. 845 and ca. 1450 CE. The shift from drier to wetter conditions coincided in time with the rise of the Angkor Civilization and likely favored the intense agriculture needed to sustain the empire. The gradual decline in moisture availability, which started after ca. 1000 years CE, could have stretched the hydrological capacity of Angkor to its limit. It is suggested that Angkor’s population resorted to unconventional water sources, such as wetlands, as population growth continued, but summer monsoon rains weakened. The 150-year long record of Lake Nong Thale Prong in southern Thailand offers insights into decadal-scale hydroclimatic changes that can be connected to the instrumental record. δDwax-based hydroclimate was drier from ~1857 to 1916 CE and ~1970 to 2010 CE and wetter from ~1916 to 1969 CE. Drier climatic conditions between ~1857 and 1916 CE coincided with oligotrophic lake waters and a dominance of the green algae Botryococcus braunii. Higher rainfall between ~1916 and 1969 CE concurred with an increase in diatom blooms while eutrophic lake water conditions were established between ~1970–2010 CE. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 3: Manuscript.</p> / Monsoon project

1 Tree rings and peat bogs as archives of recent trends in Pb and Hg deposition in the Czech Republic Milan Zuna, 2012 Abstract The environment polluted by toxic metals is currently one of the most topical subjects studied in a great many countries. Toxic metals and their forms are studied primarily because of their negative impact on the environment and also on human health. In the territory of the Czech Republic, direct measurements of the concentrations of these substances are available only for a limited time period. Consequently, indirect methods, such as geochemical archives, are used to determine the historical environmental burdens from these metals. Historical lead concentrations (Pb) were studied on peat bog profiles and tree rings in selected localities in the Czech Republic. Altogether 12 peat bog profiles and 33 wood cores (Picea abies) were studied, in the border territories of the Czech Republic with different historical burdens (Krušné Hory - Novodomské rašeliniště - ND, Jizerské hory - Bílá Smědá - BS, Šumava - Jezerní slat - JS), and in a historically burdened area polluted by processing of Pb- Ag ores (Příbram-Brdy). In the vicinity of Příbram, areas around the Brdy ridge (9 km east of the Pb metallurgical works) as well as in the immediate vicinity of the metallurgical works. We used the...

Orientador: André Henrique Rosa / Co-orientador: Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto / Banca: Marcílio Vieira Martins Filho / Banca: Wanderley Jose de Melo / Banca: Eny Maria Vieira / Banca: Wilson Tadeu Lopes da Silva / Resumo: Um dos principais desafios atuais da indústria de fertilizantes é tentar combinar, em um único produto, dois ingredientes tão necessários para o bom desenvolvimento das plantas: matéria orgânica e nutrientes; de forma que os nutrientes sejam disponibilizados em função da necessidade das plantas evitando problemas ambientais causados pelo excesso dos mesmos. Pensando nisso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e avaliar a utilização de turfas e de substâncias húmicas de turfas enriquecidas com os micronutrientes Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Ni e Zn na liberação lenta destes nutrientes em sistema aquoso e solo/planta. Duas amostras de turfas da região de Sergipe (TSA e TSI) foram utilizadas, bem como as substâncias húmicas de ambas amostras (TSA-SH e TSI-SH). As amostras foram caracterizadas por diferentes técnicas incluindo CHN, FTIR, RMN, TG e MEV. Foram avaliadas as melhores condições de adsorção dos micronutrientes nas amostras de turfas, verificando que as adsorções máximas ocorrem em pH 6,0, assim como o processo de adsorção segue uma cinética de pseudo segunda ordem e o modelo de Langmuir foi melhor ajustado aos dados obtidos. A ordem de afinidade das adsorções em geral foi: Cu>Fe>Ni=Zn=Co>Mn. Os experimentos de liberação das turfas enriquecidas em sistema aquoso e em sistema solo/planta mostraram que a liberação dos micronutrientes segue, em geral, a seguinte ordem: Zn≥Fe>Mn>Co>Ni>Cu e que em pH 6,0 e para a amostra TSI as liberações são maiores. As melhores capacidades de complexação foram obtidas em pH 4,5, sendo que para a amostra TSA-SH as quantidades de micronutrientes complexados foram maiores do que a amostra TSI-SH. Estas diferenças são justificadas pelas diferenças obtidas na estrutura molecular química observadas nas caracterizações. Os complexos mais estáveis são formados com o ferro e os menos estáveis com o zinco, favorecendo a liberação do último. As esferas poliméricas... / Abstract: One of the main current challenges of the fertilizer industry is to try to combine, in a single product, two ingredients so necessary for good plant growth: organic matter and nutrients, in order that nutrients are available depending on the need of the plants avoiding environmental problems caused by excess thereof. Thinking about this, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the use of peat and peat humic substances enriched with the micronutrients Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn in the slow release of these nutrients in a aqueos and soil/plant system. Two peat samples from region of Sergipe (TSA and TSI) were used as well as the humic substances from both samples (TSA-SH and TSI-SH). The samples were characterized by several techniques including CHN, FTIR, NMR, TG and MEV. The best conditions for adsorption of micronutrients on peat samples were evaluated by checking that the maximum adsorption occurred at pH 6.0, and the adsorption process follows a pseudo-second order kinetics and the Langmuir model was best fitted to the data obtained. The order of adsorption affinity in general was: Cu>Fe>Ni=Zn=Co>Mn. The release experiments of peat enriched in the aqueous and in the soil/plant system showed that the release of micronutrients follows, in general, the following order: Zn≥Fe>Mn>Co>Ni>Cu and in the pH 6.0 and for sample TSI the release were greater. The best complexing capacity was obtained at pH 4.5, whereas for the sample TSASH the quantities of micronutrients complexed were higher than for the sample TSISH. These differences are explained by the differences observed in the chemical molecular structure observed in the characterizations. The most stable complexes are formed with iron and the less stable with zinc, favoring the release of the latter. The polymer beads developed with peat and peat humic substances enriched with micronutrients showed satisfactory results and can be classified as slow-release fertilizers. / Doutor

Orientador: André Henrique Rosa / Co-orientador: Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto / Banca:Raquel Fernandes Pupo Nogueira / Banca:Helena Redigolo Pezza / Banca: Eny Maria Vieira / Banca: Hubert Mathias Peter Roeser / Resumo:A mobilidade e disponibilidade do arsênio (As) são fortemente controladas por processos de adsorção/precipitação a partir de óxidos metálicos. Porém, a matéria orgânica (MO) presente nos ambientes aquáticos e terrestres, em junção com esses óxidos, também pode desempenhar um papel importante no ciclo biogeoquímico do As. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho avaliou a interação entre diferentes espécies de As (As(III) e As(V)) e a MO utilizando duas amostras de turfa e substâncias húmicas aquáticas (SHA) in natura ou enriquecidas com Fe(III) ou Al(III). Os resultados mostraram que com enriquecimento Fe(III) ou Al(III) nas amostras de turfa e SHA aumenta expressivamente as interações entre As e a MO, sendo essas interações maiores nas amostrasa de turfa e SHA enriquecidas com Fe(III). As interações mostraram-se altamente dependentes do pH. Os ensaios de adsorção de As mostraram que as espécies As(III) não são adsorvidas nas amostras de turfa in natura ou enriquecidas com Al(III). A capacidade de adsorção de As(V) nas diferentes amostras de turfa variou entre 20,3-52,7 g g-1. Os dados obtidos nos experimentos de adsorção de As em turfa foram melhor ajustados para os modelos de pseudo-segunda ordem e isoterma de Freundlich. Os resultados obtidos nos experimentos de dessorção mostraram que as amostras turfa enriquecidas com Fe(III) são efetivas na imobilização de As(V). Nos experimentos de adsorção de As(V), em que valores de potencial redox foram oscilados através da purga de N2 ou com O2 durante os processos, não foram observadas alterações nas concentrações de As, Fe e carbono orgânico dissolvido (COD). Os espectros de FTIR indicaram a formação de complexos binários e ternários entre as amostras de turfa e espécies As(V). Nas reações de complexação entre As e SHA, os resultados mostraram não haver interação entre a espécie As(III) e as SHA in natura ou enriquecidas com... / Abstract: The mobility and availability of arsenic (As) are controlled by the adsorption/precipitation from metal oxides. Therefore the organic matter (OM) present in terrestrial and aquatic environments, in junction with these oxides can also play an important role in the As cycle. In this sense, the present study evaluated the interaction between As species and MO from peat and SHA samples in natura or enriched with Fe(III) or Al(III). The results showed that enrichment Fe(III) or Al(III) in peat or SHA samples significantly increases the interactions between As and MO, with these major interactions in the samples enriched with Fe(III). The interactions were highly dependent at pH levels. The adsorption experiments in peat showed that As(III) species are not adsorbed in peat samples in natura or enriched with Al(III). Adsorption rates of As(V) range from 20.3 to 52.7 g g-1 by different samples of peat. The best fit to the results was obtained using the pseudo-second order kinetic model, and the adsorption of As(V) could be described by the Freundlich isotherm model. Desorption results showed that peat enriched with Fe(III) are effective in As(V) immobilization. In the experiments of As(V) adsorption, where redox potential values have been oscillated by purging with N2 or O2 during the process, no changes in concentrations of As, Fe and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were observed. FTIR analysis revealed the formation of ternary complexes involving As(V) and peat enriched with metals. In complexation reactions between As and SHA, the results showed no interaction between As(III) species and SHA in natura or enriched with Al(III). Small concentrations of As(V) were complexed with the SHA in natura. The amounts of the As(III) complexing capacity were were approximately 3.6 mg g-1 C, while the As(V) values ranged from 5.2 to 6.1 mg g-1 of C. The interference of Al(III)/Fe(III) cations in the interactions of As and SHA was confirmed in reactions... / Doutor

Decay and accumulation of blanket peat in the Northern Pennine region of England are considered, both in quantitative and qualitative terms. Productivity on the surface of these peat bogs is not unusually high, suggesting that a low decay rate may be responsible for the accumulation of the peat. Considerable study has formerly been made of the aerobic decay processes, at the expense of the parallel anaerobic processes, which have largely hitherto been considered negligible. Yet a current mathematical model of peat accumulation suggests that it is likely to be the anaerobic decay rate which determines the total depth of peat which may accumulate. Further, such models intimate that a very small absolute change in the anaerobic decay rate will have an unexpectedly large effect on the potential steady state depth of peat. The present study concentrates on obtaining measurements of anaerobic decay rates, and on identifying the possible limiting environmental factors of the decay. The design of a sampler to collect gas samples in situ from blanket peat is described. The components of particular interest in the samples are CH4 and C02. Gas concentrations down eight peat profiles at two sites are monitored over two seasons. Simultaneous surface flux measurements above pool, lawn and hummock microhabitats are also made. Water level, temperature, pH, redox potential, depth of the sulphide zone and total sulphide concentration are recorded on each field visit. The results from the gas sample analyses are discussed in relation to the environmental factors and in relation to our present understanding of peat decay rates and their consequences on peat accumulation. The anaerobic decay rate is calculated, and is confirmed to be several orders of magnitude less than that in the overlying aerobic peat. It is shown that the methane is not fossil, but is continually being produced at all depths. Rates of gas production are calculated. Annual methane and carbon dioxide losses from entire peat bogs are calculated to contribute a significant amount to carbon cycling, on a site-specific and global scale.

An understanding of the dominant processes controlling streamwater chemistry is critical for the development of a regional water quality model. The relative importance of a variety of catchment characteristics in determining streamwater chemistry in the English Lake District is investigated in this thesis. Fifty-five streams were sampled on a bimonthly basis over the period May 1996 through March 1997. Rock samples were analysed using X-ray fluorescence analysis. The major- and trace element geochemical data was used to classify the suite into six rock types. The geochemical data was also used to establish weathering patterns, which suggested that greywackes and lithic arenites weather the easiest, andesites and dacites exhibit heterogeneous weathering and the metamorphosed slate and granite are the most resistant to weathering. Forty-one (75%) of the streams can be considered sensitive to acidification on the basis of their alkalinity and thirty-eight (69%) can be considered sensitive to acidification on the basis of their calcium concentrations. Statistical analyses showed that flow-weighted concentrations of alkalinity and base cations were lowest in the catchments with resistant bedrock, thin or peaty soils, at high altitudes or receiving relatively high loads of sulphur and nitrogen deposition. A multiple regression model incorporating some of these factors provided a fairly good approximation of alkalinity concentrations on a spatial (R2 value of 56%) and temporal scale (R2 value of 49%). The predicted alkalinity was within 50 Ileq rl of the observed (simulated) values for 77% of the sites. Although the model has a fairly good predictive capability, its spatial and temporal applicability outside the study area is an unknown quantity. To satisfy the needs of policy makers and the hydrological community, the model needs to predict alkalinity with a high degree of accuracy in a variety of study areas. This has not been tested as yet, however, the variables used in the final model are not unique to the Lake District or the 1990's and therefore the model may prove to be an extremely useful tool indeed.

The restoration of drained, afforested blanket bogs (forest-to-bog restoration) is an increasing management practice, due to recognition of both the nature conservation and carbon sequestration services provided by peatlands. Forest-to-bog restoration involves conifer felling (and harvesting) along with blocking of forestry drains. Research from conifer felling and drain blocking on open peatlands shows significant effects on pore- and stream- water quality, when practised separately. However, there is very little knowledge of the combination of both these practices in forest-to-bog restoration. This research investigated the effects of forest-to-bog restoration on pore-, surface-, stream- and river water quality in the short-term (0-1) years post-restoration, where the effects of restoration are disturbance-related. We also investigated restoration progress across a chronosequence of restoration sites using pore- and surface-water chemistry. Our results showed significant increases in DOC, phosphate, K and NH4+ (2-99 fold) in pore- and surface- water in the first year post-restoration, which may have implications for the recovery of bog vegetation. In streams significant increases in Fe (1.5 fold) and phosphate (4.4 fold) were found, with no significant impacts on concentrations in rivers or pass rates for drinking water or WFD standards. We also found no significant effects on aquatic carbon exports. However, as more restoration is carried out within the catchments and the proportion felled increases, greater impacts on streams and rivers may be observed. From our results, we recommend felling small percentages (3-23%) of stream and river catchments and the use of drain blocking and silt traps to retain sediment. We observed progress in recovery towards bog conditions across a chronosequence of restoration sites (aged 0-17 years); incomplete recovery of WTD and elevated NH4+ in porewater appeared the main barriers to restoration. Therefore, enhancements such as brash and needle removal and plough furrow blocking may be able to accelerate restoration.

Lead has a more than three-millennia-long pollution history in Europe. Metal production, burning of coal and use of leaded petrol resulted in a significant pollution of the atmosphere. As a consequence of atmospheric fallout, the Swedish boreal forest is strongly contaminated by airborne lead pollution. High levels of lead in the soil and soil pore water are of concern because the soil fauna, plants and aquatic biota may respond negatively to this toxic element. The fate of the accumulated pool of pollution in the soil is not well known. In this thesis, I determine four variables of importance for increasing our knowledge about the past, present and future lead levels in the boreal forest soil: 1) the pre-pollution atmospheric deposition rate of lead; 2) the upward flux of lead from deeper soil layers to near-surface horizons as a result of plant uptake; 3) the mean residence time of lead in the mor layer (the organic horizon at the surface of forest soils); and 4) the vertical and lateral transport of pollution lead within the mineral soil and to streams. Lead concentration measurements and stable lead isotope analyses were used for distinguishing pollution lead from natural lead in cores from ombrotrophic bogs, forest soil profiles, forest mosses, soil-water and stream-water samples. The results clearly stress that the boreal forest ecosystem is totally dominated by pollution lead. This is proved by low 206Pb/207Pb ratios (mainly between 1.14 and 1.20) in the mor layer, forest plants and stream water, while the local geogenic lead of the mineral soil (C-horizon) has high ratios (&gt; 1.30). The dominance of pollution in the mor layer is caused by high deposition rates of airborne lead pollution, minute transport rates of lead from the mineral soil by forest plants (about 0.02 mg lead m-2 year-1) and a long mean residence time of the deposited lead (~250 years for mature forest). In the pristine pre-pollution environment, lead was a rare element due to low atmospheric deposition rates (0.001 to 0.01 mg m-2 year-1). It is estimated that the present lead inventory in the mor layer is up to 100 times higher than in the pristine environment where ≤ 8 mg m-2 was present in the mor. The levels in this biologically important horizon will decrease at a very slow rate and it will take centuries for the deeper part of the mor layer to fully respond to decreasing atmospheric inputs. In a hypothetic scenario with a ceased atmospheric lead deposition, the pool of pollution lead will ultimately be redistributed to deeper water-saturated soil layers from where a lateral transport to surface waters occurs. In the studied catchment, the export of pollution lead from the soil to the stream is estimated to peak slightly about one thousand years from now.