Relationship between site-specific nitrogen concentrations in mosses and measured wet bulk atmospheric nitrogen deposition across Europe

To assess the relationship between nitrogen concentrations in mosses and wet bulk nitrogen deposition or concentrations in precipitation, moss tissue and deposition were sampled within a distance of 1 km of each other in seven European countries. Relationships for various forms of nitrogen appeared to be asymptotic, with data for different countries being positioned at different locations along the asymptotic relationship and saturation occurring at a wet bulk nitrogen deposition of ca. 20 kg N ha−1 yr−1. The asymptotic behaviour was more pronounced for ammonium-N than nitrate-N, with high ammonium deposition at German sites being most influential in providing evidence of the asymptotic behaviour. Within countries, relationships were only significant for Finland and Switzerland and were more or less linear. The results confirm previous relationships described for modelled total deposition. Nitrogen concentration in mosses can be applied to identify areas at risk of high nitrogen deposition at European scale

Heavy metals air pollution study in mines environments. Case study Bregalnica river basin, Republic of Macedonia

Application of several moss species and attic dust for monitoring of anthropogenic impact on heavy metals air pollution in Bregalnica River Basin, Republic of Macedonia, was studied. Moss samples were reviewed for their potential to reflect heavy metals air pollution. The attention was focused on their quantification ability, underlying the metal accumulation within moss plant tissue and attic dust “historical archiving”. Potential “hot spots” were selected in areas of copper mine (Bučim mine) and lead and zinc mines (Zletovo mine and Sasa mine) as main metal pollution sources in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Continuously, dust distribution from ore and flotation tailings occurs. This results with air-introduction and deposition of higher contents of certain metals. Several moss species (Hypnum cupressiforme, Homalothecium lutescens and Scleropodium purum) were used as plant sampling media. Determination of chemical elements was conducted by using both instrumental techniques: atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES) and mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS). Combination of multivariate techniques (PCA, FA and CA) was applied for data processing and identification of elements association with lithogenic or anthropogenic origin. Spatial distribution maps were constructed for determination and localizing of narrower areas with higher contents of certain anthropogenic elements. In this way influences of selected human activities in local (small scale) air pollution can be determined. Summarized data reveal real quantification of the elements distribution not only in order determination of hazardously elements distribution, but also present complete characterization for elements deposition in mines environs

A critical evaluation of the use of the moss technique to monitor air pollution

Passive biomonitoring with terrestrial mosses, i.e. the “moss biomonitoring technique”, constitutes a useful tool for the study of the atmospheric deposition of heavy metals. However, it has limitations, some of which have been deeply assessed in this doctoral thesis. Thus, the temporal variability of the concentrations of several nutrients and pollutants in Pseudoscleropodium purum and the effect of growth on the concentrations of elements in segments of different ages of P. purum have been assessed (Chapters I and II respectively). Besides, the possible development of differences in the accumulation capacities of mosses that have grown in environments under different levels of pollution (Chapter III), and the relationship between the concentrations of several heavy metals in mosses and in bulk deposition (Chapters IV, V and VI), have also been discussed. Finally, despite the limitations found in the first part of this thesis (Chapters I to VI), it has been demonstrated that the technique enables researchers to distinguish between contaminated and uncontaminated sites, to identify small scale pollution sources, and to map spatial and temporal patterns of the atmospheric heavy metal deposition However, its application in environmental policy making is still limited due to the lack of a reliable, scientifically rigorous and homogenized protocol for the technique. Therefore a critical review of the available literature on passive biomonitoring with terrestrial mosses has been made (Chapter VII) in order to propose a protocol, as harmonised as possible, based on the results of the methodological studies published to date. Therefore, it can be concluded in the basis of all the results presented in this thesis, together with previously reported findings, that passive biomonitoring studies with terrestrial mosses provide qualitative and/or semi-quantitative rather than quantitative information. Interpretation of the results of this type of study must therefore be reconsidered; however, this does not mean that the information obtained is not useful. Such reconsideration, together with true harmonization of the technique (by publication of a protocol exclusively based on scientific criteria), should bridge the gap between the scientific application of the technique and its application in environmental policy making

Spatially valid data of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals and nitrogen derived by moss surveys for pollution risk assessments of ecosystems

For analysing element input into ecosystems and associated risks due to atmospheric deposition, element concentrations in moss provide complementary and time-integrated data at high spatial resolution every 5 years since 1990. The paper reviews (1) minimum sample sizes needed for reliable, statistical estimation of mean values at four different spatial scales (European and national level as well as landscape-specific level covering Europe and single countries); (2) trends of heavy metal (HM) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in moss in Europe (1990–2010); (3) correlations between concentrations of HM in moss and soil specimens collected across Norway (1990–2010); and (4) canopy drip-induced site-specific variation of N concentration in moss sampled in seven European countries (1990–2013). While the minimum sample sizes on the European and national level were achieved without exception, for some ecological land classes and elements, the coverage with sampling sites should be improved. The decline in emission and subsequent atmospheric deposition of HM across Europe has resulted in decreasing HM concentrations in moss between 1990 and 2010. In contrast, hardly any changes were observed for N in moss between 2005, when N was included into the survey for the first time, and 2010. In Norway, both, the moss and the soil survey data sets, were correlated, indicating a decrease of HM concentrations in moss and soil. At the site level, the average N deposition inside of forests was almost three times higher than the average N deposition outside of forests

Proceedings of Abstracts 12th International Conference on Air Quality Science and Application

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