Beryllium chemistry in the lysina catchment, Czech Republic

The environmental chemistry of beryllium (Be) was investigated at the Lysina catchment in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, a forest ecosystem with high loadings of acidic atmospheric deposition. The catchment supports Norway spruce plantations; it is underlain by leucogranite and the soils are Spodosols. Average concentrations of Be were high in groundwater (3,3 μg L^{- 1}) and in stream water (1.5 μg L^-1), in comparison to the drinking water standard of the Czech Republic (0.2 μg L^-1). Chemical equilibrium calculations suggest that aquoberyllium Be²⁺ was the prevailing inorganic species in drainage waters at the site. Atmospheric deposition of Be (45 μg m^-1 yr^-1) was small in comparison to drainage outflow (586 μg m^-2 yr^{- 1}) at Lysina. Elevated Be concentrations in drainage water appear to be the result of the mobilization of Be from soils and weathered bedrock due to acidic atmospheric deposition. Increased mobility of Be due to acidification may have serious ecological consequences in acid-sensitive areas with terrestrial pools of available Be.