Concentrations of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons inneedles of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) growing nearbydi erent industrial sources

Emissions from industrial activities pose a serious threat to human health and impose the need for monitoring both inorganic andorganic pollutants in industrial areas.We selected Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) as potential biomonitor and collected the current(C) and previous year (C+1) needles from three industrial sites dominated by petrochemical, ceramics manufacturing, and iron and steelsmelting plants and one remote site to determine heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni and Co) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) in unwashed and water-washed needles. Both unwashed and washed C+1 needles showed generally higher concentrations ofheavy metals and PAHs than C needles, although the washed needles more clearly spotlighted the accumulation e ect of PAHs overexposure time. Water-washing resulted in a significant decrease in needle PAH concentrations with more significant e ects shown inC needles. By contrast, needle heavy metal concentrations were much less a ected by washing. Although heavy metals and PAHsmight di er in adsorption and uptake strategies, their higher concentrations in the needles at the industrial sites indicated conspicuouscontamination due to industrial emissions there. The PAH distribution patterns in pine needles accorded with the real types of energyconsumption in the study sites and were e ciently used for pinpointing local pollutant sources.