THE USE OF TREE GROWTH RINGS TO DETERMINE CHANGES IN ATMOSPHERIC PB, CR, AND MN CONCENTRATIONS

Air pollution is one of the most significant problems facing the world today. Among the components of air pollution, Pb, Cr, and Mn—which primarily originate from traffic and anthropogenic sources—are extremely harmful, toxic, and carcinogenic elements for human and environmental health. For this reason, monitoring changes in the concentrations of these elements in the air is of great importance. Within the scope of this study, changes in the atmospheric concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Mn in Düzce Province over the past 60 years were determined. The study was conducted by using the annual rings of the Tilia platyphyllos tree as a biomonitor. The study determined how the concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Mn in the air in Düzce have changed over the past 60 years and to what extent these elements have been transferred into the wood. The results of the study indicate that the accumulation of Pb, Cr, and Mn in the tree under study is largely related to traffic, and that Pb and Cr, in particular, can be redistributed within the wood. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the Tilia platyphyllos species is not a suitable biomonitor for tracking changes in Pb, Cr, and Mn pollution.