Arsenic uptake by the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesie)

The Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesie) growing in an arsenic‐rich gold‐bearing region contains elevated arsenic concentrations in new‐growth stems (374 ppm dry weight (dw)) and needles (257 ppm dw). Speciation of methanol–water extracts by using high‐performance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry show that arsenite is the major species in needles but arsenate is more dominant in stems. Only traces of methylarsenicals are present. Arsenic concentrations in other tree species growing in the region are generally much lower; dimethylarsinate was extracted from a spruce cone. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.