Larch tree rings: an archive of atmospheric Hg pollution

Tree rings are known to reflect not only climatic changes but also to contain information on environmental pollution. The recent publication by members of The Department of Environmental Geology and Geochemistry in the GLI led by T. Navrátil accepted to the prestigious Environmental Science & Technology journal (IF 6.653) describes and discusses the changes of atmospheric Hg recorded in the European larch tree rings. The study was conducted at several sites in the Czech Republic. The tree ring records document, for example, atmospheric Hg variations in the vicinity of a gold ore amalgamation processing plant (Roudný site), near a Pb-ore smelter (Příbram site) and around a chlorine-alkali plant. Detailed information can be found in the just accepted paper.