Atmospheric heavy metal pollution in Slovenia derived from results for epiphytic lichens

Abstract

In 1992, a monitoring survey has been started on the national scale in Slovenia using the epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. The primary aim has been to analyse lichens using the k(0)-based INAA method to obtain information about the levels of elements in the atmosphere and to identify significant pollution sources. Monte Carlo-Assisted Factor Analysis was applied to a data set of the 28 elements As, Ag, Ba, Br, Ce, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Ga, Hf, Hg, K, La, Mo, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Sm, Tb, Th, U, W and Zn, which have been selected from the elements determined as the most important ones for the identification of pollution sources. A Monte Carlo approach has been used to give more insight into the uncertainties and significance levels of the factor analysis results. It has been found that concentration patterns in lichens yielded 9 factors (source types) which are presented and discussed in detail. The geographical patterns of the contributions of all factors are also shown.

Heavy Metal Pollution of Surface Soil in the Thrace Region, Turkey

“…F5 (Ba, Rb, Sr) is interpreted as an additional lithogenic component. These results are similar to corresponding interpretations of top-soil heavy metal data from the literature (Jeran et al, 1996;Facchinelli et al, 2001).…”

Lichens and Particulate Matter: Inter-relations and Biomonitoring with Lichens

“…Lichens are known to accumulate uranium emitted by various sources (Gough and Erdman 1977;Beckett et al 1982;Boileau et al 1982;Looney et al 1985;Sheard 1986a, b;Pettersson et al 1988;Singh and Wrenn 1988;Fahselt et al 1995;Jeran et al 1995Jeran et al , 1996Jeran et al , 2002Jeran et al , 2003Jeran et al , 2007Daillant et al 1996;Trembley et al 1997;Gueidan et al 1997;Horvat et al 2000;Golubev et al 2005;Purvis et al 2006). In the war fought in the Balkan area in the years 1995-1999, depleted uranium (DU) was emitted by anti-tank ammunition fired by NATO aircrafts.…”

Response of lichens to heavy metal and SO2pollution in Poland – an overview

“…They absorb substances for growth and survival through the exposed surface of the thallus [6,7]. Lichens can accumulate trace metals (both essential and non essential) to levels far greater than their expected physiological needs [7,17] Therefore they are used as sensitive bioindicators of heavy metals in the air [5,8,17]. Lichens have been shown to be highly sensitive to gaseous air pollution, particularly to sulphur dioxide.…”

“…Another advantage of lichens as an excellent bioindicator is that many species have a wide geographical distribution and are very common. Therefore they can be used at a local, regional and national scale [5,8,9]. Air pollution originates mainly from industrial manufacturing and energy production, coal and oil www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541 (on-line) combustion, vehicular traffic and also small local sources.…”