Use of Lichen and Moss in Assessment of Forest Contamination with Heavy Metals in Praded and Glacensis Euroregions (Poland and Czech Republic)

Abstract

The concentrations of selected metals—Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb—were determined in the samples of Hypogymnia physodes lichen and Pleurozium schreberi moss collected in Polish and Czech Euroregions Praded and Glacensis. More specifically, the samples were collected in Bory Stobrawskie, Bory Niemodlińskie, and Kotlina Kłodzka (Poland) and in Jeseniki (Czech Republic). The concentration of metals in the samples was measured using the atomic absorption spectrometry (flame AAS technique and electrothermal atomization AAS technique). The results were used to calculate the comparison factor (CF) that quantifies the difference in concentration of a given bioavailable analyte × accumulated in lichens and mosses: CF = 2 (cx,lichen − cx,moss) (cx,lichen + cx,moss)−1. The values of CF greater than 0.62 indicate the most probable location of heavy metals deposited in the considered area. In this work, the method was used to show a significant contribution of urban emissions to the deposition of heavy metals in the area of Bory Stobrawskie and in the vicinity of Kłodzko City.

The Use of Water Plants in Biomonitoring And Phytoremediation of Waters Polluted with Heavy Metals

“…A relatively high resistance of Elodea canadensis and Myriophyllum aquaticum to the content of heavy metals in their environment and the fact that they can sorb cations via all surface directly from water (similarly to lichens and mosses used in biomonitoring of atmospheric aerosol pollution [60,61]) shows that they can be used in the biomonitoring of surface waters pollution with these analytes.…”

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Selected Organs of Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and their Potential Use as Air Contamination Bioindicators

“…This technique seems to be particularly useful in air monitoring. So far the vast majority of measurements of metal concentration in the atmosphere have been carried out using lichens and mosses [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. However, in polluted areas higher plants seem to be more suitable as ecological indicators of air contamination, since lichens and mosses are often missing from such environments [15][16].…”

Trace Element Concentrations in Lichens Collected in the Beskidy Mountains, the Outer Western Carpathians

“…These occur in cities and industrial regions throughout much of the world (Lisowska 2011). Nonetheless, lichens are relatively resistant to metal pollution and their ability to accumulate them is the basis of their common use as bioindicators (Sawicka-Kapusta et al 2010; Jeran et al 2007; Kłos et al 2011; Balabanova et al 2012). Accumulated trace metals do not interfere noticeably with lichens’ cellular processes, so these organisms are widely used in mapping spatial and temporal patterns of trace metal fallout (Spiro et al 2004).…”