The research used dendro-chemical analysis of ash tree rings and current year leaf litter to track Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, and Sn spread and cycling from a closed garbage dump-toxic waste site. This technique allowed for determination of areal extent, contaminant levels and time period of initial contaminant contact. Only Zn, Sn, and Cu were found in elevated quantities in the xylem wood and Pb in the leaf litter. Elemental concentrations of Pb, Sn and Cd in xylem wood and leaves of ash were positively correlated. Tin was the only element to demonstrate a clear initial contact period and elemental accumulation with age. Significant levels of Cu accumulated in the heartwood while Zn revealed significant but inconsistent accumulated patterns. Expected attenuation zones associated with municipal solid waste landfill leachate dispersion were not found; thus the pathway for contaminant dispersion was likely through groundwater flow. / An elemental index was developed to facilitate the use of dendro-chemical analysis in periods of suppressed tree growth resulting from environmental pollution.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.69688 |
| Date | January 1993 |
| Creators | Reeves, Alastair Ian |
| Contributors | Cote, B. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Renewable Resources.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001382950, proquestno: AAIMM91786, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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