Atmospheric Deposition of Trace Elements in Romania Studied by the Moss Biomonitoring Technique

Abstract

The first systematic study in Romania of atmospheric pollution from heavy metals and other toxic elements based on moss analysis was undertaken as a Romanian-Russian-Norwegian collaboration, primarily in order to assess the general state of heavy metal pollution in Romania. An additional goal was to contribute to the European heavy metals in mosses survey, conducted under the auspices UNECE ICP Vegetation 1 which reports to the Working Group of Effects of the Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution Convention. Samples of the moss species Hypnum cupressiforme, Hylo- comium splendens and Brachytechium salebrosum and B. rutabulum were collected during the period 1995-2001. A total of 40 elements were determined using NAA and AAS. The total concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, nickel, vanadium and zinc are presented in the form of contour maps. Generally, the observed concentrations in Romania are markedly higher than those observed in most other countries of Europe using the moss technique. Ke yw ords: atomic absorption spectrometry, heavy metal pollution, moss biomonitoring technique, neutron activation analysis, trace elements.