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Seasonal Variations of Radiocarbon Content in Plant Leaves in a 14C-Depleted Area

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2016

Rana Baydoun ,
Omar El Samad ,
Bilal Nsouli  and
Ghassan Younes
Rana Baydoun*
Affiliation:
Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission- National council for Scientific Research, Beirut, Lebanon
Omar El Samad
Affiliation:
Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission- National council for Scientific Research, Beirut, Lebanon
Bilal Nsouli
Affiliation:
Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission- National council for Scientific Research, Beirut, Lebanon
Ghassan Younes
Affiliation:
Beirut Arab University, Faculty of Sciences, Chemistry Department, Dibbieh, Lebanon
*
2.Corresponding author. Email: rbaydoun@cnrs.edu.lb.
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Abstract

The determination of radiocarbon content in biogenic samples such as tree leaves and short-lived plants is crucial when studying the anthropogenic impact on the ecosystem and for detecting any alteration in stable and radioactive CO2. A total of 76 samples of evergreen and deciduous tree leaves as well seasonal plants were collected in winter, spring, and summer. Sampling was carried out from rural villages located in Mount Lebanon Province, Lebanon. Based on the data obtained from a previous study carried out in autumn, which showed that the selected sites are characterized by depletion of 14C caused by the releases of pollutants and CO2 from a cement factory in the region, further investigation was carried out in the present work to determine possible significant seasonal variations in Δ14C values. Reference samples of identical species were collected in the same period from a clean zone. The conventional 14C method was used to determine the carbon isotopic ratio. Δ14C data are compared to those obtained in autumn. 14C concentration in the studied sites was significantly lower than in the clean area in all seasons. ANOVA tests showed that there is a significant seasonal variation for deciduous leaves and seasonal plants, while this difference was not significant in evergreen leaves. In addition, no significant variation was recognized for different species in the same season.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 57 , Issue 3 , 2015 , pp. 389 - 395
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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