Lead and cadmium in urban tree rings in Rouyn-Noranda

A new scientific article was published in May 2025, resulting from an analysis of Ms. Elsa Dejoie's doctoral project at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT). The project is being carried out under the supervision of Fabio Gennaretti, professor of ecophysiology and dendroecology (UQAT), and the co-supervision of Nicole Fenton, professor of bryophyte ecology (UQAT), and Annie Desrochers, professor of silviculture and ligniculture (UQAT).

This paper assesses lead and cadmium concentrations in urban tree rings near the Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda. Concentrations of these metals in tree rings can provide a historical record of environmental contamination, capturing changes over time and space.

Do contaminant concentrations in trees vary according to their location relative to the smelter? Do spruce and pine trees accumulate contaminants in a similar way? Is it possible to detect an effect of the contamination reduction measures implemented by the smelter over the years? Read the article to discover the results of this study.

Full reference:

Dejoie, Elsa, Marc-André Lemay, Nicole J. Fenton, Annie DesRochers, Joëlle Marion, Martine M. Savard, Trevor J. Porter, Daniel Proulx, et Fabio Gennaretti. « Spatiotemporal assessment of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contamination in urban tree rings near an industrial smelter: high intraspecific variability but limited spatial differentiation ». Atmospheric Pollution Research, 14 mai 2025, 102582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2025.102582.