Biomonitoring of the environment of the Arctic urbanized area using the pollen of Sorbus gorodkovii Pojark

Abstract

This article investigates the content of heavy metals (Cu, Ni, V, Cd, Zn) in the reproductive organs of the Gorodkov’s rowan (Sorbus gorodkovii Pojark.) growing in the impact zone of environmentally hazardous facilities in Murmansk (CHP plants, waste incineration plant and trade sea port). The samples most contaminated by heavy metals were registered in the vicinity of the incineration plant. High concentrations of vanadium (4,2–4,8 mg/kg) and Cu, Ni, Cd, and Zn exceeding the limits of MPC are revealed in the impact zone of CHP plants operating on fuel oil. Biomonitoring of the viability of S. gorodkovii pollen showed that in all samples, the content of fertile pollen grains was reduced compared to that in the control. At the test sites of the Central and South CHP plants, the proportion of fertile pollen was 35–41 % (compared to 72 % in the control sample). The induced sterility was more than two times higher than the spontaneous sterility. High concentrations of vanadium and other toxic metals in emissions of Heating Plants have a gametocidal effect on the male gametophyte of S. gorodkovii. Groups of fertile and sterile pollen grains were selected according to their size: dwarf, normal, or hypertrophied. In the vicinity of the CHP plants, the proportion of fertile pollen of normal size decreased (62–69 %), whereas the content of dwarf (16–18 %) and hypertrophic pollen (17.4–22.7 %) increased. Sterile pollen grains were mostly dwarf (63–70 %). The results of biomonitoring indicated that CHP plants polluted the urban environment with vanadium and other toxic metals, which caused sterilization of S. gorodkovii male gametes. To improve the ecological situation in Murmansk, it is necessary to switch the thermal stations for the use of natural gas.