Foliar delta S-34 values of three soil-growing plant species (Platanus Orientalis L, Osmanthus fragrans L and Cinnamomum camphora) have been analyzed to indicate atmospheric sulfur. The foliar delta S-34 values of the three plant species averaged -3.11 +/- 1.94 parts per thousand, similar to those of both soil sulfur (-3.73 +/- 1.04%) and rainwater sulfate (-3.07 +/- 2.74 parts per thousand). This may indicate that little isotopic fractionation had taken place in the process of sulfur uptake by root or leaves. The delta S-34 values changed little in the transition from mature leaves to old/senescing leaves for both the plane tree and the osmanthus tree, suggestive of little isotope effect during sulfur redistribution in plant tissues. Significantly linear correlation between delta S-34 values of leaves and rainwater sulfate for the plane and osmanthus trees allowed the tracing of temporal variations of atmospheric sulfur by means of foliar sulfur isotope, while foliage delta S-34 values of the camphor is not an effective indicator of atmospheric sulfur. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication name	ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION　Volume: 162 　Pages: 80-85　 Published: MAR 2012
Author(s)	Xiao, Hua-Yun; Wang, Yan-Li; Tang, Cong-Guo; Liu, Cong-Qiang
Corresponding author	XIAO Huaun  xiaohuayun@vip.skleg.cn  Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geochem, State Key Lab Environm Geochem, Guiyang 550002, Peoples R China

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