Arsenic accumulation in lichens of Mandav monuments, Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Total arsenic in four different growth forms of lichens growing on old monuments in the city of Mandav, Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India was analyzed. Among the different growth forms, foliose lichens were found to accumulate higher amounts of arsenic followed by leprose form. The squamulose and crustose form accumulates the lower concentration of arsenic and ranged between 0.46 +/- 0.03 and 20.99 +/- 0.58 mircog g(-1) dry weight, while the foliose and leprose lichens have ranges from 10.98-51.95 and 28.63-51.20 mircog g(-1) dry weight, respectively. The substrate having high arsenic ranges also exhibit higher ranges of arsenic on lichens growing on them. The cyanolichens exhibit higher concentration of arsenic than the green photobiont-containing squamulose form. The higher concentration of arsenic was found at site having past mining activities. LSD (1%) shows significant difference for As concentration in lichens thallus between the selected sites and species both.