Abstract
The moss biomonitoring technique was used in 2002, 2005, 2010 and 2015 in a potentially toxic elements study (PTEs) in Macedonia. For that purpose, more than 70 moss samples from two dominant species (Hypnum cupressiforme and Homalothecium lutescens) were collected during the summers of the mentioned years. Total digestion of the samples was done using a microwave digestion system, whilst mercury was analyzed by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CV–AAS). The content of mercury ranged from 0.018 mg/kg to 0.26 mg/kg in 2002, from 0.010 mg/kg to 0.42 mg/kg in 2005, from 0.010 mg/kg to 0.60 mg/kg in 2010 and from 0.020 mg/kg to 0.25 mg/kg in 2015. Analysis of the median values shows the increase of the content in the period 2002–2010 and a slight reduction of the air pollution with Hg in the period 2010–2015. Mercury distribution maps show that sites with increased concentrations of mercury in moss are likely impacted by anthropogenic pollution. The results were compared to similar studies done during the same years in neighboring countries and in Norway—which is a pristine area and serves as a reference, and it was concluded that mercury air pollution in Macedonia is significant primarily in industrialized regions.
Subject
Atmospheric Science,Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
Cited by
6 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献