Trace Metals in Mosses in the Estonian Oil Shale Processing Region

Abstract

Electric energy production and most heavy industry in Estonia are concentrated in the north-eastern part of the country. Thermoelectric power plants (total maximal capacity over 3 GW), cement and chemical industries are fueled by Kukersite oil shale, mined nearby. The mineral part of oil shale is rich in trace metals that can accumulate in the local ecosystem. Samples of epigeic mosses Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens were taken in 1992, 1997 and 2002 from sites 1 km to 30 km from the main air pollution sources and analysed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn. For background data collection, analogous measurements within the national monitoring programme were used. Raster maps of concentrations were generated from the measurements, using the Kriging algorithm. These maps were compared with the model-estimated (AEROPOL model) maps of fly ash and cement dust deposit from the past. The concentration of trace metals in mosses is highly (Cr, Fe, Ni, V) or moderately (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) affected by the airborne emissions of the oil shale industry. During the past decade the uptake of the first group of elements in the industrial zone has decreased 3–4 times in proportion to emissions.