BIOACCUMULATION OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS IN MOSSES RESULTING FROM ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION (A CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF PERM)

Abstract

The paper compares data on the accumulation of a number of potentially toxic elements (hereinafter –PTE) in mosses and on the distribution of the main anthropogenic emission sources in the city of Perm, a large transporthub and industrial center. At the stage of field work, 144 samples of Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. and Hylocomiumsplendens (Hedw.) Bruch et al. were collected in the afforested part of the city according to the standard methodologyMoss survey protocol. In the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, the concentrations of 15 PTEs were determined in moss samples: Al, Fe, V, Cr, Cu, Cu, Pb, S, Zn, Cd, Co, Sr, Mn, Ba, P, and Hg.Spatial analyses were performed by GIS tools. Median values of Al, Fe, and V concentrations accumulated in mosses ofPerm, along with Udmurtia and the South Urals, are noticeably higher than the same indicators in other surveyed territories. The opposite trend was observed in relation to Mn. This is probably due to the pronounced metallurgical and machine-building profile of the Ural regions as well as the presence of industries related to metal processing. Median concentration s(mg/kg) of accumulated PTEs have been found to decrease in the following series: Al (1803.00) > Fe(1685.00) > Mn (350.00) > Ba (72.8) > Zn (60.19) > Sr (32.80) > Cu (10.94) > V (6.20) > Pb (5.69) > Cr (5.27) > Co(1.12) > Cd (0.22) > Hg (0.039). According to the study results, the main probable sources of air pollution in Perm areoil refineries, chemical, metalworking, and machine-building enterprises as well as motor transport emissions and railwayinfrastructure facilities. The obtained data significantly add to the qualitative and quantitative picture of aerotechnogenicpollution of Perm relative to the classical data obtained from permanent observation posts monitoring the state of atmospheric air in the built-up part of the city.