Bio-monitoring of temporal changes in the concentration of trace elements suspended in the air using lichen transplant technique

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Student

2 Prof.Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

3 Head of Department/Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

Abstract

These days, the most cost-effective and accessible way to monitor air pollutants is the use of bio-monitors. Therefore, this study was conducted to biologically monitor temporal changes in the concentration of heavy metals suspended in the air using the lichen transplant technique. For this purpose, lichens of the genus Ramalina were applied. It was transferred from an uncontaminated area (Tirkan village, Babol city) in Hyrcanian forests to the study area near the transit road in Noor city. After three periods of three, six, and nine months of exposure, concentrations of Aluminum, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Lead, Nickel, Vanadium, Chromium, Arsenic, Selenium, Cadmium, Molybdenum, Cobalt in lichen samples (15samples per period) was determined by ICP-MS device. The results showed that Aluminum and Cadmium had the highest and lowest concentrations in all periods, respectively (mean614.06and 0.18 μg / g, respectively). With increasing exposure time, the concentration of metals also increased and this increase showed a significant difference in all metals for the first and Three periods (p <0.05). It was also found that due to the average exposure of control rate (3.37) which was much higher than the severe accumulation limit (1.75), the selected lichen has an acceptable ability to biologically monitor changes in heavy metal concentrations. In addition, using an exposure of control rate to evaluate the rate of change is a better alternative than the evaluation of the concentration of trace elements alone.

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Volume 36, Issue 3
September 2023
Pages 248-264
  • Receive Date: 24 January 2021
  • Revise Date: 24 April 2022
  • Accept Date: 08 June 2022