Investigation on REE Transported by Airborne Dust and Deposited on Vegetation

The occurrence of rare earth elements (REE) and the characterization of processes that control their migration in the water-soil-vegetation system were investigated in the Pineta San Vitale (Ravenna, Italy). In order to evaluate the potential REE contribution from the atmosphere, 17 vegetation samples (ivy leaves) were submitted to leaching tests using acidulated water as a proxy of rainwater. The REE leached from leaves were in the range of 0.5 to 10 μg/kg ΣREE, suggesting a significant atmospheric contribution to the water-soil system. Patterns of REE leached from leaves were nearly flat, and values of enrichment factors close to one, possibly indicating a dominant geogenic source of atmospheric REE in the studied area.