Abstract
Abstract The accumulating ability of the atmospheric Metal Trace Elements (MTE) of two lichenic species thalli; Xanthoria parietina and Ramalina farinacea were evaluated in the region of Megres. The recorded concentrations of MTE (Fe, Cu, Mn, Cd, and Pb) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AASF). The ability to accumulate MTE in X. parietina thalli is considerably greater than that of the fruticulous lichen R. farinacea in all stations studied. The general pattern of the elements accumulated in the thalli of the two species in decreasing order of their concentrations was Fe> Mn> Pb> Cu> Cd. The Fe values are very high in X. parietina thalli with an average of 35237.5 ± 3394.2 mg/kg dry wt. In contrast, the Pb concentrations are high, especially in the southern station of the Megres region. The results showed that X. parietina is a hyper-accumulating species of MTE, compared to R. farinacea. This work highlights the ecological importance of this species as a stable and resistant pioneer in this fragile region.
Highlights
Air pollution is a complex mixture of several toxic compounds to the environment and human health [1,2,3], in especially heavy metals mainly of anthropogenic origin [4,5]
The results reveal the presence of a significant variation in metal concentrations between the stations studied and between the two species X. parietina and R. farinacea
The two lichenic species studied are bioaccumulators of Metal Trace Elements (MTE), which are excellent bio-indicators for the estimation of the metal air pollution; X. parietina has a higher accumulation than R. farinacea
Summary
Air pollution is a complex mixture of several toxic compounds to the environment and human health [1,2,3], in especially heavy metals mainly of anthropogenic origin [4,5]. Bio monitoring of atmospheric contaminants by the use of lichens is an important approach for its use simplicity as bio-accumulators [7]. Lichens are among the most effective bio monitors in the assessment of toxic pollutants such as heavy metals; they absorb most atmospheric substances [18]. They are able to accumulate minerals well above their needs [19,20,21,22]. These organisms are highly resistant to the adverse effects of air pollution [23]
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