BIOACCUMULATION OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION IN MOSSES OF THE TOWN OF GUBAKHA

Abstract

The paper compares data on the accumulation of a number of potentially toxic elements (hereinafter – PTE) in mosses in the town of Gubakha, Perm Region. The aim of the work was to determine the content of PTE in mosses in the territory of Gubakha, one of the centers of chemical, fuel and energy, and metallurgical industry of Perm Krai. Industrial enterprises and dumps of closed mines of the Kizel (Kizelovsky) Coal Basin are located here; at the same time, the territory is a development point for sports, tourism, and recreation in the region. At the stage of field work, 44 samples of Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. and Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Bruch et al. were collected in the afforested part of the town according to the Moss survey protocol standard methodology. The Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research determined the concentrations of 16 PTEs in the moss samples. Median concentrations (mg/kg) of accumulated PTEs have been found to decrease in the following series: P (2003) > S (1493) > Fe (748.25) > Al (585) > Mn (215.65) >Zn (61.74) > Ba (46.28) > Sr (19.81) > Cu (6.94) > Pb (3.6) > Ni (2.35) > V (1.97) > Cr (1.84) > Co (0.5) > Cd (0.44) > Hg (0.032). The spatial distribution of the obtained PTE values in mosses, as well as the results of statistical and factor analysis, indicate a possible relationship between high concentrations of Al, Fe, V, Cr, Co, and Ni and emissions from organic chemistry enterprises. Increased values of Hg, S, and Cu are associated with emissions from coking coal production facilities. The values obtained for Cd are presumably due to both natural and anthropogenic causes. The obtained data significantly add to the qualitative and quantitative picture of aerotechnogenic pollution of Gubakha relative to the classical data received from permanent observation posts that monitor the state of atmospheric air in the built-up part of the town.