Zanieczyszczenie atmosfery przez zakłady przemysłowe położone w północnej części Wyżyny Śląskiej zapisane w przyrostach rocznych sosny zwyczajnej

Abstract

Pines growing close to Tarnowskie Góry Chemical Plant and Miasteczko Śląskie Zinc Foundry produced reduced tree rings from 1950 to 1990 when compared with pines growing 60 km from the factories. Tree ring reductions occurred concurrently with the operation of the chemical plant and zinc foundry. Ring widths of the sampled pines are inversely proportional to the sulphur dioxide emissions from the Miasteczko Śląskie Zinc Foundry and the volume of production in the Tarnowskie Góry Chemical Plant. This demonstrates that the growth of trees was suppressed by emissions from the factories. Pines growing close to the zinc foundry started to produce reduced rings in 1965 and tree rings were very heavily suppressed in the 1970s. Reductions were noted from the time when the zinc foundry started to operate up until the present day. Reduced rings in 2000–2009 are produced by pines growing close to the zinc foundry and also those growing at a distance of 60 km from it. This indicates that ring reductions in 2000–2009 are not necessarily the effect of pollution emissions by the foundry. Tarnowskie Góry Chemical Plant emitted atmospheric pollution as early as 1925–1930 and as a result large tree ring reductions and many missing rings were identified in cores collected from pines growing close to the chemical plant. Tree ring reductions and missing rings occurred from 1955 to 1985 in pines growing close to the chemical plant. Pines have started to produce relatively wide rings since 1985 when the volume of production in the chemical plant rapidly decreased. This indicates that the plant reduced harmful emissions to the atmosphere from this date onwards.