Increased concentrations of nitrophenols in leaves from a damaged forestal site

A class of organic micropollutants, the phytotoxic nitrophenols, were analysed in the vegetation (beech leaves), from two different alpine sites (Val Gerola and Val Masino) in the Lombardy Region (Northern Italy), using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Leaves from the more damaged site (Val Gerola) had higher mean total nitrophenol concentrations (313 ng/g) than the Val Masino samples (148 ng/g). Since the dinitrophenol levels in leaves are close to the concentrations exerting a phytotoxic effect in vitro, these pollutants presumably have an active role in the symptoms of tree diseases in these alpine sites.