Mosses as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution

master's thesis

• Title (english): Mahovine kao bioindikatori onečišćenja teškim metalima
• Author: Sven Bogdan
• Mentor: Monika Zovko (mentor)
• Committee member: Monika Zovko (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Marija Romić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Lana Filipović (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Agriculture; (Soil Amelioration); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2018-06-08, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES; Agronomy

Abstract

Mountains are considered as one of the most sensitive ecosystems to climate changes which may be affected at a very faste rate. These changes may directly and/or indirectly affect organisms, thus native organisms may be used as indicators of different environmental alterations. Mosses are considered as effective air quality bioindicators because they have no roots, no cuticle, and acquire all their nutrients from direct exposure to the atmosphere. Thus, in this study mosses are used as an indicator of trace elements air pollution. Samples of Brachythecium rutabulum and Hylocomium splendens were collected during dry and rainy period in 2016 from 5 sampling sites in the Risnjak National Park. Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn concentrations in moss tissue were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES Vista MPX AX, Varian), and Hg with Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (FIMS 400, Perkin-Elmer). The concentrations were in range: Cd from 0.2 to 0.58 mg kg−1, Cr from 0.5 to 27 mg kg−1, Hg from 0.036 to 0.136 mg kg−1, Pb from 3.0 to 8.2 mg kg−1 and Zn from 8.6 to 82 mg kg−1. Higher concentrations were measured in B. rutabulum and the samples collected in rainy season at higher altitude. Compared to the results from recent biomonitoring studies of trace metal pollution in the mountain ecosystems, deposition of atmospheric Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb and Zn in mosses in Risnjak National Park may be considered as minor to negligible.

Abstract (croatian)

Planinski ekosustavi smatraju se među najosjetljivijima na klimatske promjene te se taj utjecaj može očitovati i vrlo intenzivno. Svaka promjena u ekosustavima može izravno i/ili neizravno utjecati na organizme koji nastanjuju to područje te se stoga određeni organizmi mogu koristiti kao pokazatelji istih. Mahovine se smatraju učinkovitim bioindikatorima kakvoće zraka jer nemaju korijen i sve svoje hranjive tvari apsorbiraju izravno iz atmosfere. Stoga su u ovom istraživanju mahovine odabrane kao pokazatelj onečišćenja zraka metalima. Uzorci vrsta Brachythecium rutabulum i Hylocomium splendens prikupljeni su tijekom suhog i kišnog razdoblja 2016. godine s 5 mjesta u Nacionalnom parku Risnjak. Koncentracije Cd, Cr, Pb i Zn u tkivu prikupljenih mahovina analizirane su induktivno spregnutom optičkom emisijskom spektrometrijom (ICP-OES Vista MPX AX, Varian), dok je Hg određena metodom atomske apsorpcijske spektrofotometrije (FIMS 400, Perkin-Elmer). Koncentracija metala u tkivu mahovina varirale su u rasponima: Cd od 0.2 do 0.58 mg kg-1, Cr od 0.5 do 27 mg kg-1, Hg od 0.036 do 0.136 mg kg-1, Pb od 3.0 do 8.2 mg kg-1 i Zn od 8.6 do 82 mg kg-1. Više koncentracije izmjerene su u tkivu vrste B. rutabulum i uzorcima prikupljenim u kišnoj sezoni na višoj nadmorskoj visini. U usporedbi s rezultatima nedavnih studija biomonitoringa kvalitete zraka na planinskim područjima, taloženje atmosferskog Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb i Zn u mahovinama u Nacionalnom parku Risnjak može se smatrati minimalnim do zanemarivim.

• Keywords: air quality; heavy metals; biomonitoring; Risnjak National Park
• Keywords (croatian): kvaliteta zraka; teški metali; biomonitoring; Nacionalni park Risnjak
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:204:594117
• Study programme: Title: Environment, Agriculture and Resource Management; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: Master of Engineering in Agriculture (Master of Engineering in Agriculture)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2018-06-14 07:01:28