DETERMINATION OF TRACE-ELEMENT CONCENTRATION VARIATIONS IN TREE-RINGS USING PIXE

The interest in assessing environmental pollution using tree ring analysis has increased in recent years. However, attempts to link metal deposition in tree rings to environmental pollution should be evaluated cautiously. In order to investigate the variation of the trace element distribution at two heights and two positions, four cores were extracted from a 60 year-old water oak (Quercus nigra). Experimental results show variations in the distribution of metals in different cores. These differences were not due to sample preparation, but possibly to differential deposition in the tree. The results indicate that caution must be exercised when attempting to link trace element studies of tree rings to pollution chronology of the surrounding environment.