Abstract
For the second time, the moss biomonitoring technique was applied to evaluate the deposition of potentially toxic elements in the Republic of Moldova. The study was performed in the framework of the International Cooperative Program on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops. Moss Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. samples were collected in May 2020 from 41 sampling sites distributed over the entire territory of the country. The mass fractions of 35 elements (Na, Mg, Al, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Se, Rb, Sr, Sb, Cs, Ba, Cd, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Hf, Ta, Th, Pb, and U) were determined using neutron activation analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry. Comparing with 2015/2016 moss survey data, significant differences in the mass fractions of Cr, As, Se, Br, Sr, Sb, Cd, Pb, and Cu were found. Main air pollution sources (natural processes, transport, industry, agriculture, mining) were identified and characterized using factor and correlation analyses. GIS maps were built to point out the zones with the highest element mass fractions and to relate this to the known sources of contamination. Contamination factor, geo-accumulation index, pollution load index, and potential ecological risk index were calculated to assess the air pollution levels in the country. According to the calculated values, Moldova can be characterized as unpolluted to moderately polluted, with low potential ecological risk related to the degree of atmospheric deposition of potentially toxic elements. The cities of Chisinau and Balti were determined to experience particular environmental stress and are considered moderately polluted.
Highlights
Toxic elements, regardless of the source of their provenance, natural, or anthropogenic, increase the pressure on the environment and are extremely harmful to human health [1]
Mosses have been widely used as an indicator of atmospheric pollution by toxic elements, as reported by various researchers [1,3,4,9,10,11,12,13,14]
Pollution Assessment of the Examined Moss Samples In this study, to assess the degree of air pollution in Moldova Contamination factor (CF) [26] and Pollution load index (PLI) [27] were calculated for elements which are listed as priority pollutants to control by the European Economic Area report [28]
Summary
Regardless of the source of their provenance, natural, or anthropogenic, increase the pressure on the environment and are extremely harmful to human health [1]. Suitable biological organisms (mosses, lichens) are used as biomonitors and indicators of atmospheric deposition of potentially toxic elements [5,6,7,8] Among those organisms, mosses have been widely used as an indicator of atmospheric pollution by toxic elements, as reported by various researchers [1,3,4,9,10,11,12,13,14]. The majority of the research using moss as biomonitors is performed in the framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe International Cooperative Program on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops (UNECE ICP Vegetation), which was established in 1990 and covers most European countries. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the deposition of potentially toxic elements in the Republic of Moldova by using the moss biomonitoring technique in order to reveal changes in element accumulation in comparison with previous moss survey
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