Moss Analysis Research Articles

Monitoring of heavy metal deposition in Northern Italy by moss analysis

A survey of heavy metal deposition in the mountainous territories of Northern Italy was carried out in 1995–96. Moss samples (mainly Hylocomium splendens) were collected in a dense network of sites (about 3.2 sites/1000 km 2) and the data of metal concentrations in moss tissues were statistically correlated with environmental and climatic factors, as well as with bulk deposition of elements and elemental concentrations in the soil. Three main geographic patterns of metal concentration in mosses could be defined: (1) Fe, Ni, and Cr, all derived both by soil particulates and anthropogenic emissions connected with ferrous metal manufacturing, were mostly concentrated in Northwestern Italy; (2) Cu and Zn, as typical multi-source elements, showed rather high concentrations with little ranges of variation over the whole area and small peaks reflecting local source points; (3) Cd and Pb reflected long-distance transport and showed highest concentrations in the regions with highest precipitation, especially in the Eastern Alps.

Deposition of heavy metals and ionic aerosol species at a scottish moorland site

?While estimates of heavy metal deposition are often inferred from moss analyses (e.g. NORD, 1996) there are only few direct measurements of heavy metal loads. This is partly due to the size-dependent particle deposition velocity (v&) being still highly uncertain (Gallagher et al., 1997). Here micrometeorological measurements of v& are combined with particle size distributions to estimate the dry deposition of both ionic aerosols species and heavy metals at a remote, clean Scottish moorland site.

The FLAME Project: General Discussion and Conclusions

Detailed discussion of the FLAME data at individual country level is included in other papers in this volume but some aspects of the analyses and data interpretation are best discussed on a broader level and that is the aim of this paper. The spatial distribution of fly-ash particles in the participating countries shows good agreement with expected sources and this implies that the majority of particulates travel less than 100 km from their source although lower concentrations of particles were detected at all sample sites. Areas of elevated concentration mostly coincide with population centres and imply possible impacts on human health by fine particulates (e.g. PM10) from fossil-fuel sources in these areas. Problems with the particle characterisation, developed within the FLAME project, include difficulties in allocation due to the overlap between coal-series fuels and the presence of a 'mineral coal' background at lake sites thought to be due to persistent sediment minerals surviving the chemical pre-treatment and becoming allocated to coal. This leads to implications for the inclusion of further fuels into the classification and the application of the technique to the same fuels beyond Europe. The combination of lake sediment SCP data and sediment and moss metals data can also provide an indication of the impact from anthropogenic contamination at a site and probable source types. Comparison with previous moss analyses from 1990 show that metal concentrations in central Europe may have decreased but levels in the UK have shown little change. Finally, comparisons of FLAME data with the EMEP model for pollutant budgets across Europe generally show good agreement for pathways, although further work is needed in receptor countries for additional confirmation.

Regional patterns of heavy metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) and sulphur in terrestrial moss samples as indication of airborne pollution in a 188, 000 km 2 area in northern Finland, Norway and Russia

The geological surveys of Finland and Norway and the Central Kola Expedition in Russia are carrying out a geochemical mapping project in a 188,000 km 2 area north of the Arctic Circle. Several sample media (terrestrial moss, organic topsoil (0–3 cm), topsoil (0–5 cm), complete podzol profiles) were collected throughout the area during the summer of 1995 at an average density of one sample station per 300 km 2. Colour surface maps of the major airborne pollutants (Ni, Cu, Co and S) from the Russian nickel mining and smelting industry in this area, as recorded by ICP—MS and ICP—AES analysis of terrestrial mosses, clearly show the industrial sites and the areal extent of the pollution. The contrast between background and polluted sites is very large for Ni, Cu and Co, but not for S. Pollution follows the main wind and topographical directions in the area, and gradients towards the west are rather steep. Maps for some additional elements (Fe, Cr, Pb, V, Zn) show the influence of other sources than just airborne pollution on the composition of the mosses. Zn is an example of an element whose local variation is so high that no reliable regional maps can be constructed using the moss technique. A hitherto unknown, large V anomaly was detected in the surroundings of Murmansk.

Trace Element Profiles in Ombrogenous Peat Cores from Norway: Evidence of Long Range Atmospheric Transport

Concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, Sb, and Se in peat from 21 ombrotrophic bogs in Norway are discussed with respect to air pollution and compared to other evidence from studies of trace element deposition in Norway. In general the data support conclusions from studies of atmospheric deposition based on moss analysis, and they also confirm specific trends previously observed for the contamination of natural surface soils with these elements. Lead, Cd, As, and Sb all are strongly enriched in the surface peat layers, indicating significant atmospheric input all over the country. In the south the concentrations in the surface peat are about 10 times higher than in the central and northern part of the country, supporting previous evidence of substantial input from source regions in other European countries. For Se there is also a component of anthropogenic input in the south, but this contribution from long range transport is superimposed on a very distinct coast - inland gradient all along the west coast, strongly suggesting atmospheric supply of Se from the marine environment.

Extended study of atmospheric heavy metal deposition in lithuania based on moss analysis

The use of different moss species – Hylocomium splendens,Pleurozium schreberi, Eurhynchium angustirete, Sphagnum and Rhytidiadelphus – was tested for the investigation of atmosphericheavy metal deposition. Maps representing heavy metal depositionpattern in Lithuania are presented for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and V.The most suitable species for heavy metal deposition studies was Hylocomium splendens in which the concentrations of metalswere found to be up to 25% higher than in other species. Interspeciesand interelemental comparison was also performed. Several well definedlocal pollution sources were identified.

Cadium in Soil and Winter Wheat Grain in Southern Sweden: II. Geographical Distribution and its Relation to Substratum

Abstract Concentrations of cadmium in agricultural soils in the province of Skane, southern Sweden, were shown to vary with geological substratum. The highest levels were found in areas dominated by Cambrian bedrock. Significant differences between general soil types were also recorded. Regional maps of cadmium in soil and winter wheat grain were produced with geostatistical interpolation. The variability of soil cadmium was relatively small in most parts of the area investigated, with high values restricted to the southeastern part. A spatial correlation pattern existed between a map of cadmium deposition based on moss analysis and the map of cadmium in wheat. Biogeochemical cadmium data and soil cadmium were correlated only in areas extremly high in biochemical cadmium.

A comparison of heavy metal deposition in selected Eastern European countries using the moss monitoring method, with special emphasis on the ‘Black Triangle’

The paper describes the use of moss analyses to compare heavy-metal pollution in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Special emphasis is placed on the regions where three countries meet within the area covered by the survey. In the countries participating, samples of Pleurozium schreberi, Scleropodium purum, Hypnum cupressiforme and Hylocomium splendens, Polytrichum formosum and Dicranum scoparium were collected at a total of 831 sampling points and analyzed for the elements Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn. The results were then presented in the form of coloured contour maps using the geographic information system (GIS) ARC-Info. The values found for heavy metals document the level of technical development in the countries concerned, which is generally characterized by a low standard in respect of emission-reducing systems. Moreover, the heavy-metal concentrations reflect the sources of emissions characteristic of the areas in which they occur. Above all, these are the primary use of coal (both hard coal and lignite) as an energy source, the chemical industry and ferrous- and non-ferrous metal working, which produce considerable emissions of particulate and fly ash, and also the use of leaded petrol. In most cases the moss method made it possible to identify the areas affected by the various industrial locations. The results show an increase in heavy-metal concentrations and higher average levels in the eastern parts of the countries compared. The paper also discusses the possibility of including the ‘three-country triangle’ further east in studies of Eastern Europe on the grounds that it constitutes another ‘Black Triangle’ in addition to the already familiar one.

The distribution of heavy metals in a transect of the three states the Netherlands, Germany and Poland, determined with the aid of moss monitoring

The use of moss analyses to determine possible metal pollution in a three-country transect consisting of the Netherlands, Germany and Poland is described. In the countries involved, samples of Pleurozium schreberi, Scleropodium purum, Hypnum cupressiforme and Hylocomium splendens were collected at a total of 806 sampling points and analyzed for Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn. The results are presented in the form of coloured contour maps using the Geographic Information System (GIS) ARC-Info. With the aid of moss monitoring it was possible to characterize most of the different industrial locations and sources of pollution within the transect. Moreover, the results documented the level of technological development in the western and eastern states when these were compared. The differences became very apparent in the form of steep west-east concentration gradients, especially for the elements iron, vanadium and lead; in the case of the eastern parts of the transect they reflect sources of emissions that are typical of the area. In the main these are the primary users of coal as an energy source and the low technical standard in respect of measures to minimize emissions. In some cases, the maps also indicate possible pollution across international borders and thus situations that do not only result from sources within a specific country. With regard to the methods of sampling and analysis, any element-specific and systematic differences can be made visible on the summarized element maps and thus permit a final check.

The German heavy metal survey by means of mosses

This is the first attempt to determine pollution with metals throughout the Federal Republic of Germany by analysing moss samples. Samples of Pleurozium schreberi, Scleropodium purum, Hypnum cupessiforme and Hylocomium splendens were collected at 593 sites and analysed by ICP-AES and AAS for the elements As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn. Citrus leaves and pine needles were used as reference materials to ensure the quality of the results. In many cases it was possible to trace the areas affected by known sources of heavy-metal emissions in addition to isolated local increases in the values. The moss monitoring programme showed up the highly industrialized and urban locations such as the Ruhr, parts of the Saarland and Baden-Württemberg and large areas of eastern Germany. Lower levels of many elements were found in wide stretches of Lower Saxony and Bavaria. The results largely reflect the pollution patterns found in these areas. On the other hand, expected correlations between the effects of traffic (e.g. Pb) and concentrations in moss could not be demonstrated with certainty. The element data yielded by this project are Germany's contribution to the European project ‘Atmospheric Heavy Metal Deposition in Europe —Estimations based on Moss Analysis’.

Epithermal neutron activation analysis of mosses used to monitor heavy metal deposition around an iron smelter complex

The moss Hylocomium splendens was used as a biomonitor to study changes in the atmospheric deposition of metals around an iron smelter complex in Northern Norway between 1989 and 1993. Samples representing the last three years' growth of moss, collected on the ground at 25 sites located 1–25 km from the source area, were analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis using epithermal neutrons. A total of 38 elements were determined, including most of the heavy metals known to be released into the air from this kind of industry. A re-orientation of the industrial production occurred around 1990; the most important developments being the closing of an iron smelter and the starting-up of a new ferrochrome smelter. Accordingly, the Cr deposition in the vicinity of the smelter increased by about a factor of 100, while the Fe deposition decreased by almost a factor of 10. Other elements showing a decrease over this period were Mo, Sr, Se, Zr, Re, Hf, Ta, Th, and U, while there was an appreciable increase for Ni, W, and Au. Most other elements, including V, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, As and Sb, had similar levels as before. A new method for the graphical representation of deposition levels is introduced. Instead of constructing isopleths based on the observed concentration values, each value is divided by a number representing the background level found in moss in the area. The resulting ratios are then used as a basis for the construction of isopleths. Examples are shown for Cr, Fe and V levels in 1989 and 1993 respectively.

Atmospheric deposition of trace elements in Norway: Temporal and spatial trends studied by moss analysis

The atmospheric deposition of sixteen trace elements, as inferred by their concentration in moss samples collected in 1985 from 500 sites in Norway, is compared with data from a similar survey in 1977. The deposition patterns of V, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sb, and Pb are substantially influenced by long-range transport from other parts of Europe, but a general decline is evident from 1977 to 1985, most strongly for Pb. For Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu the deposition patterns are largely determined by contributions from point sources within Norway and on the Kola peninsula close to the Russian/ Norwegian border. The moss data for Br, I, and partly Se reflect airborne supply from the marine environment, whereas Al and Sc serve as indicators of contributions from soil dust. Contributions to the trace element concentrations in moss from sources other than atmospheric deposition are identified and discussed.

Metals in small Norwegian lakes: Relation to atmospheric deposition of pollutants

Water chemistry data from 165 lakes in Norway are discussed in relation to contribution from long-range transported air pollutants. Concentrations of lead and antimony in terrestrial mosses are used to express the relative contribution from long range transport to each lake. The contents of A1 and Zn in lake water and of 'excess' SO4 in low Ca lakes show high correlations with the relative heavy metal deposition values from moss analysis. The 'excess' SO4 in low Ca lakes correlates strongly with AI and too a lesser extent with Mn and Fe. It is suggested that the lake water levels of A1 and Mn, and even to some extent Fe, are significantly affected by acidic precipitation enhancing the leaching of these metals from mineral matter in soils and sediments. In the case of Zn, airborne supply to the lakes and their catchments appears to strongly affect the water content.

Comparison of different multielement techniques for analysis of mosses used as biomonitors

Mosses are used as biomonitors on a regular basis to study trends in the atmospheric deposition of trace elements in Norway. In this paper the analytical scheme used so far, based on a combination of instrumental neutron activation analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry (INAA/AAS) is compared with inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-ES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). ICP-ES provided satisfactory data for nearly 20 elements, but detection limits were inadequate for some elements of importance. For ICP-MS quantitative data were obtained for 33 elements including the heavy metals of key interest in air pollution studies. In most cases where comparison was possible the ICP-MS data compared favourably with data obtained by the reference scheme or by ICP-ES. On the basis of this study ICP-MS is considered to be an equivalent alternative to INAA/AAS in multielement studies using mosses as biomonitors. In addition ICP-MS offers some promise for the study of elements such as Be, Ga, Mo, Te, Tl, and Bi, for which very little information exists regarding their behaviour as air pollutants.

Aquatic mosses for the detection and follow-up of accidental discharges in surface waters

Aquatic mosses have been used to study four accidental discharges of the heavy metals Cd, Zn and Hg or the chlorinated hydrocarbons pentachlorophenol (PCP) and lindane in highly contrasting river types. Hg, PCP and lindane moss concentrations reached 880, 4500 and 350 ng g−1, respectively. In the case of Cd and Zn, water samples and transferred bioindicators were taken simultaneously throughout an accidental discharge. The very high dissolved metal concentrations reached during this accident (9 mg L−1 Zn, 90 μg L−1 Cd) induced accumulation by the mosses of up to 28 mg g−1 for Zn and 225 μg g−1 for Cd. The increase in concentrations in the mosses was as rapid and substantial as in the water, the time lag due to accumulation kinetics being almost zero. On the other hand, the memory effect enabled mosses to retain marked evidence of Cd, Zn, Hg, PCP and lindane up to 13 days after the accident when difference from background levels can hardly be detected in the water. The four case studies, which killed fish, but not the mosses, show that the previously established scales of quality based on the analysis of aquatic mosses are well suited to estimating the potential damage to the aquatic ecosystem as a whole.

Analysis of the Moss and Ravindra relations

Analysis of the Moss and Ravindra relations

Modelling and measurement of the dispersion of radioactive emissions from a nuclear fuel fabrication plant in the U.K.

The ground-level air concentrations of supported and total 234Th were determined over a period of 1 year at four sites in the vicinity of a nuclear fuel fabrication plant in northwest England. Both supported and unsupported 234Th were found, with mean monthly concentrations of total 234Th 13 times those observed at a control site 50 km north of the factory. Bulk deposition rates of total 234Th were found to be 2–3 times the background values. Analysis of mosses revealed a systematic decrease in supported 234Th concentrations with distance from the factory, with background values reached at a distance of about 1.5 km. Road dust samples showed a similar decrease in supported 234Th concentrations with distance, but with significant departures from this trend, possibly being evidence for the mechanical transport of contaminated dust from the factory. A Gaussian plume dispersion model was able to predict 85% of the observed air concentrations within a factor of four, despite large uncertainties in some source parameters.

Oxygen-18 Composition of Sphagnum, and Microenvironmental Water Relations

The 180 isotope content of Jive species of Sphagnum from three peatlands in Ontario was analyzed. Sphagnum fuscum and S. capillifolium had significantly more enriched 6'80 values than S. fallax, S. magellanicum, and S. papillosum. The enriched values in the former species indicate that water involved in photosynthesis in hummock species is much more affected by evapotranspiration than in adjacent species situated in depressions. These data suggest that microenvironmental water relations regulate evapotranspiration in Sphagnum species. Environmental isotope analysis (180, 2H) is another technique that may shed light on understanding Sphagnum ecophysiology and water relations along microenvironmental gradients in northern peatlands. The vertical distribution of Sphagnum species along microtopographic gradients has long been noted, indeed, ever since the earliest ecological studies of northern bogs and poor fens (Andrus et al. 1983; Clymo & Hayward 1982; Sj6rs 1948; Vitt et al. 1975). The genus Sphagnum represents a unique group of hydrophytes especially adapted to periodic drought conditions because of large seasonal changes in water supplies reaching peatland surfaces. Ecological factors such as cation exchange capacity, desiccation resistance, water holding capacity, degree of drying, and photosynthetic ability have been found to be important for Sphagnum microenvironmental distribution patterns (Andrus 1986; Clymo & Hayward 1982; Lindholm 1990). Environmental isotopes--oxygen18 (180) and deuterium (2H)-that form part of the water molecules and organic compounds in plant organic matter, have been widely used in ecology and geochemistry (Fritz & Fontes 1980; Rundel et al. 1989). One specific application is in the reconstruction of paleoclimate based on the isotopic composition of fossil wood and peat cellulose (Dupont & Brenninkmeijer 1984; Edwards et al. 1985; Yapp & Epstein 1982). Paleoclimatic inferences are based on the relationship between the 180 and 2H composition of plant cellulose and the isotopic composition of the plant water source and relative humidity (Burk & Stuiver 1981; DeNiro & Epstein 1979; Epstein et al. 1977). We report some results of a project aimed at assessing the relationship between the isotopic composition of bog plant species and environmental factors. The understanding of this relationship is essential if stable isotopes in fossil peat plant cellulose are to be used in paleoclimate studies. This paper proposes that isotopic analysis of Sphagnum mosses may be an important aid in understanding the ecophysiological requirements and microenvironmental distribution of sphagna. MATERIAL AND METHODS Field methods.--Mosses for this study were collected from three peatlands in Ontario. Oliver's Bog is a floating bog and fen complex (sensu Tarnocai et al. 1988) developed in a closed kettle basin 4 km southeast of Cambridge in southwestern Ontario (43019'45N; 80017'15W). An open bog and poor fen mat has a soft bottom closest to the open water area in the centre and is firmly anchored in the treed bog area around the edge of the basin. The mat portion, where mosses were collected for this study, is characterized by oligotrophic lawn and carpet vegetation with some areas periodically in contact with waters of the underlying lake system, and having small ombrotrophic hummocks. Emo Bog is a large ombrotrophic raised bog complex, about 680 ha in size, situated 8 km northeast of Emo in northwestern Ontario, near the Minnesota-Ontario border (48042'N; 93047'W). It is a forested-low shrub bog with Picea mariana, numerous ericaceous shrubs, and welldeveloped hummock microtopography. Rainy River Bog is 40 km west of Emo Bog and 6 km north of the Town of Rainy River (48047'30N; 94034'W). This ombrotrophic bog is developed in a small basin about 10 ha in size with a vegetation cover and microtopography similar to that at Emo Bog. Laboratory procedures. -Representative Sphagnum mosses were collected at each study site for isotope analyses in June or July 1987. Samples that included several moss stems were selected from adjacent paired microsites-hummock top and a position near the bottom of the side of the hummock. Sphagnum nomenclature follows Anderson (1990). Voucher specimens are deposited in the Wetlands Ecology Laboratory at the University of Waterloo. Cellulose was extracted from the living plants 0007-2745/92/445-448$0.55/0 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.54 on Fri, 01 Jul 2016 05:38:50 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 446 THE BRYOLOGIST [VOL. 95 TABLE 1. Isotopic composition of Sphagnum from three peatlands in Ontario. The sample of S. magellanicum from Emo bog may contain some Polytrichum strictum. Collection sites: OB = Oliver's Bog, a quaking bog, southwestern Ontario; RRB = Rainy River Bog, a raised basin bog, northwestern Ontario; EB = Emo Bog, a raised basin bog, northwestern Ontario; SMOW = standard mean ocean water.

The use of three-dimensional surface modelling in the design of mines and quarries

Abstract Major changes have occurred in mining practice as a result of the evolution of computer technology. MOSS Systems Limited was one of the first companies to develop and market a system geared to the requirements of mineral extraction operators. The benefits inherent in the use of such a 3D modelling system are described in detail. MOSS analysis techniques can be applied to the 3D model at any stage in the design or subsequent operation of the workings. These techniques include the generation of sections and profiles, volumetric and mass-haul analyses, contouring, and isopachyte analysis. A novel example of the use of MOSS in the optimized design of spoilheap geometry is given.

Atmosperic deposition of mercury in Norway: temporal and spatial trends

Data from a study of Hg in the terrestrial environment in Norway are presented. Analyses of moss samples and comparison with wet deposition data indicate that dry deposition of gaseous Hg is important at northern latitudes. The Hg content of the humus layer of natural soils shows only moderate regional differences, but is to some extent dependent on atmospheric deposition from long-range transport and local point sources. Peat cores from ombrotrophic bogs provide information about recent and pre-industrial levels of Hg deposition, the ratio between levels varying from less than 2 to almost 10 depending on the location. Surprisingly high levels in surface peat in the northern part of the country support the conclusion indicated from moss analysis concerning the significance of dry deposition.