Characteristics of pine needles from trees of different age growing in the protective zone of “Konin” aluminum smelter

Needles of Pinus silvestris L. were taken from 50-year-old trees which have been influenced for 30 years by emissions from an aluminum smelter and from 15-year-old trees which were planted after starting technological modernization. Old pine stands and agreenwood are located 2.5–3.0 and 0.4 km from the smelter. About half of the fluorine is accumulated on the needles surface. Values of the contact angle ranged from 68° to 83° and depended on the distance from the smelter. The structure of the wax layer allows us to classify the surface of current-year and one-year old needles into categories II and III, respectively. Despite the relatively low quality of needles surface the nutritional status of all needles is satisfactory.