Measurements of lead concentrations and isotope ratios of moss and lichens from Portland, Oregon, U.S., and surrounding rural areas

We conducted a high-resolution study of lead in an urban
moss, Orthotrichum lyellii, to better understand lead
distributions and sources in Portland, Oregon, United States. The goal of
this study was to identify modern and persistent legacy urban lead
sources. This included an investigation of the impact of relic
lead-sheathed telecommunication cables on environmental lead levels. Here
we present lead levels and isotopic compositions of (1) moss samples
collected from Portland in 2013, (2) moss samples collected 10 years later
in 2023 for proximity to lead-sheathed telecommunication cables, (3)
archival moss and lichen samples, and (4) rural moss samples. The findings
of this study and methods can be found in the linked primary article.