The accumulation by plants of emissions from a coal-fired power plant

Foliar concentrations of Ca, Cl, F, Mg, Mn, P, S and Zn were measured in Eucalyptus crebra and E. moluccana growing at distances up to 28 km from a 2000 MW coal-fired power plant. The results showed that concentrations of F, Mn and Zn in leaves of E. moluccana were negatively correlated with distance from the emission source (P < 0.01), the foliar concentration of Zn was positively correlated with F and Mn concentrations (P < 0.01) and that S concentration was positively correlated with P and Cl concentrations (P < 0.01). In contrast, no elements in E. crebra leaves were correlated with distance from the power plant but significant positive correlations were found between Mg and F and between S and Ca concentrations. Concentrations of Mn in both species and F in E. crebra exceeded those measured in Eucalyptus species growing in areas of Australia remote from industrial emissions, but no symptoms of air pollution-induced injury were found. All other foliar element concentrations were comparable with background concentrations in Eucalyptus species in Australia.