Monitoring of heavy metals in airborne particles by using bark samples of japanese cedar collected from the metropolitan region of Japan

Bark samples of Japanese cedar were collected from urban, suburban and rural localities and analyzed for Na, K, Mg, Ca, AI, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb, As is revealed by a high Al content, an appreciable amount of soil is taken up by the samples. The analytical data were normalized with respect to Al content in order to make correction for the portion of heavy metals derived from soil. The samples from urban areas were characterized by high Cr, Ni, Cu and Pb contents. The bark showed a marked affinity for Cu and Pb. The bark is useful for monitoring these metals in the atmosphere.