Distribution of heаvy metals in the profile of peat bog Zhuravlyne (Skolivski Beskydy, Ukrainian Carpathians) as an indicator of changes in chemical composition of air precipitations in historical retrospective

Abstract

Vertical distribution of ash, Pb, Cd, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Al, Ca, Mg in oligotrophic bog „Zhuravlyne” (Skolivski Beskydy, Ukrainian Carpathians) was investigated. Vertical cores were sampled in 2006 and dated by 14C method. Distribution of ash in peat slices increased considerably closer to the bog surface. Reasonable agreement exists in the comparison between the ash distribution and measurements of Al and Fe concentrations, what point to a decisive influence of aluminosilicate material formed from the rocks weathering on ash deposits. Historical trends of heavy metals levels in peat based on the absolute concentrations or their ratio to Al are identical and concomitant with the history of industrial development of Western Europe.

Keywords

• ombrotrophic peat bogs
• heavy metals
• ukrainian carpathians