Abstract
Tree cores were collected and analyzed for trichloroethylene (TCE) on a private property between a former electroplating facility in Asheville, North Carolina (USA), and a contaminated wetland/spring complex. TCE was detected in 16 of 31 trees, the locations of which were largely consistent with a “plume core” delineated by a more detailed subsurface investigation nearly 2 years later. Concentrations in tree cores and nearby soil borings were not correlated, perhaps due to heterogeneities in both geologic and tree root structure, spatial and temporal variability in transpiration rates, or interferences caused by other contaminants at the site. Several tree cores without TCE provided evidence for significantly lower TCE concentrations in shallow groundwater along the margins of the contaminated spring complex in an area with limited accessibility. This study demonstrates that tree core analyses can complement a more extensive subsurface investigation, particularly in residential or ecologically sensitive areas.
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Acknowledgments
We thank local residents for granting permission to collect samples on their property and the UNC Asheville University Service Council for financial support. Two anonymous reviewers provided constructive feedback that truly improved the final paper.
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Wilcox, J.D., Johnson, K.M. Trichloroethylene (TCE) in tree cores to complement a subsurface investigation on residential property near a former electroplating facility. Environ Monit Assess 188, 587 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5603-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5603-x