Ombrotrophic peat as a medium for historical monitoring of heavy metal pollution

Knowledge of historical trends in heavy metal deposition can aid the study and impact prediction of contemporary pollution. For this purpose, analysis of ombrotrophic peat cores has proved a valuable complement to other sedimentary analyses. However, doubts still remain concerning the mobility of heavy metals in peat. The debate cannot be resolved until the behaviour of these elements in peat is better understood.