Perennial herbs as monitor for moderate levels of metal fall-out

Abstract

Standardized leaf samples from the perennial herbs Urtica dioica , Senecio jacobaea and Rubus caesius have been analysed for the concentrations of iron, manganese and zinc around an industrial complex with zinc smelter and blastfurnace plants. The concentration of all heavy metals of the leaves decreased hyperbolically with the distance to the emission source. Leaves of Urtica dioica were better biomonitors for iron fall-out than those of Rubus caesius and Senecio iacobaea , the latter being a good indicator for manganese. Weakest indicator was Rubus caesius , giving no relationship between zinc concentration and distance from the emission source. It was possible to get a good analyses of the aerial fall-out pattern, being more accurate than that of three rain gauges of the National Environmental Programme.