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Comparison of the suitability of two lichen species and one higher plant for monitoring airborne heavy metals

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Abstract

We compared the capacity to accumulate airborne heavy metals of two lichens (Flavoparmelia caperata and Parmotrema chinense) and one higher plant (Nerium oleander) at a very densely populated urban site near Naples. After 15, 45, 75, and 120 days of exposure at four sites with different levels of air pollution, equal portions of thalli and 20 leaves were collected, and four environmentally significant elements, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb, were measured by inductively coupled plasma analysis. To compare the accumulation rates of lichens and the vascular plant, we determined an index of relative accumulation rate of pollutants during time and the ratio between the concentrations of each element in exposed samples to that of control samples (exposed-to-control ratio). Our data indicate F. caperata as being the most suitable bioaccumulator, followed by P. chinense. N. oleander was also found to be a useful heavy metal biomonitor though not suitable as a bioaccumulator.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Arboricoltura, Botanica, Patologia Vegetale-Sez. di Botanica, “Federico II” Facoltà di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli, via Università, 100-80055, Portici, Naples, Italy

    Giuseppa Grazia Aprile, Mina Di Salvatore, Giovanna Carratù, Antonio Mingo & Anna Maria Carafa

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  1. Giuseppa Grazia Aprile
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  2. Mina Di Salvatore
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  3. Giovanna Carratù
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  4. Antonio Mingo
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  5. Anna Maria Carafa
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Correspondence to Giuseppa Grazia Aprile.

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Aprile, G.G., Di Salvatore, M., Carratù, G. et al. Comparison of the suitability of two lichen species and one higher plant for monitoring airborne heavy metals. Environ Monit Assess 162, 291–299 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-0796-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-0796-x

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