Some new characterizations of the class of positive measures γ on$R$^{$n$}such that$H$_{$p$}^{$l$}∉L_{$p$}(γ) are given where$H$_{$p$}^{$l$}(1<$p$<∞ 0<$l$∞) is the space of Bessel potentials This imbed ding as well as the corresponding trace inequality $$||J_l u||_{L_p (\gamma )} \leqslant C||u||_{L_p } $$ for Bessel potentials$J$_{$l$}=(1-Δ)^{-1/2}is shown to be equivalent to one of the following conditions(a)$J$_{$l$}($J$_{$l$γ})^{$p$}≤$CJ$_{$lγ$}a e(b)$M$_{$l$}($M$_{$l$γ})^{$p’$}≤$CM$_{$lγ$}a e(c)For all compact subsets$E$of$R$^{$n$} $$\int_E {(J_{l\gamma } )^p dx} \leqslant C{\text{ }}cap (E H_p^l )$$ where 1/$p$+1/$p'$=1$M$_{$l$}is the fractional maximal operator and cap ($H$_{$p$}^{$l$}) is the Bessel capacity In particular it is shown that the trace inequality for a positive measure \gg holds if and only if it holds for the measure$(J$_{$l\gg$})^{$p'$}$dx$Similar results are proved for the Riesz potentials$I$_{$l$γ}=|$x$|^{$l-n$}* γ