Anomalous concentrations of rare earth elements in the moss-soil system from south-central Poland

Fourteen rare earth elements were determined in mosses (Pleurozium schreberi) and soils (subhorizon-Ofh and -Ol, mixed horizon-AE and AEB) from south-central Poland. The results were normalized against North American Shale Composite (NASC) and Post-Archean Australian Shales (PAAS). The distribution of REEs in the moss-soil system differed considerably, but all the samples showed the average percent of increase of medium rare earth elements. The shale-normalized concentration ratios calculated for selected elements (La-N/Yb-N, Gd-N/Yb-N, La-N/Sm-N) were in the range of 1.22-2.43,1.74-3.10 and 0.86-1.09. Both subhorizon-Ofh (-Ol) and horizon-AE (-AEB) showed a weak enrichment of Gd. The shale-normalized patterns of soils showed a somewhat negative Eu anomaly in the horizon-AE (-AEB), and a slightly negative Ce anomaly in the subhorizon-Ofh (-Ol). A strongly positive Eu anomaly and a somewhat negative Nd anomaly were found in the moss samples. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.