Dispersal pattern of airborne emissions from an aluminium smelter in Ouro Preto, Brazil, as expressed by foliar fluoride accumulation in eight plant species

Abstract

In order to evaluate the dispersal pattern of airborne fluoride emissions, from a single source in the city of Ouro Preto, Brazil, the fluoride impact on some herbaceous plant species was studied using the plants as passive bioindicators. Foliar fluoride contents of eight species collected at different distances from an aluminium smelter were analyzed. The plant species were: Baccaharis dracunculifolia, Bidens pilosa, Borreria verticillata, Calopogonium mucunoides, Erigeron bonariensis, Hedychium coronarium, Ipomoea purpurea and Ipomoea cairica. In all species the fluoride accumulation decreased exponentially with the distance from the emission source. There was specific and distinct variation in fluoride accumulation among the species, a group of high-accumulator species (B. dracunculifolia and Bidens pilosa) and a group of low-accumulator species (I. cairica, H. coronarium and Borreria verticillata). C. mucunoides and E. bonariensis occupied an intermediate position. There was a pattern of plant contamination response during the periods analyzed. The plants nearest to the emission source, between 0.4 km northwest and 1.1 km east, showed fluoride contamination traits in leaves reaching values between 100 and 500 μg g−1. Moreover, fluoride contents higher than 1000 μg g−1 were found in these plants. At the most distant stations, situated 2.9 km northwest and 6 km east from the factory, the fluoride content of the dry matter was less than 10 μg g−1 showing that plants at those distances were submitted to minimum contamination. There were different patterns of tolerance among the species analyzed. While B. dracunculifolia accumulated fluoride up to 1500 μg g−1 in dry matter without any signs of injury, Borreria verticillata showed severe necrosis in leaves, but the fluoride content found was not higher than 120 μg g−1.