Lichens to distinguish urban from industrial PAHs |
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Authors: | Vertika Shukla D K Patel D K Upreti M Yunus |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Environmental Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (Central) University, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, 226025, India;(2) Analytical Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India;(3) Lichenology Laboratory, National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India; |
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Abstract: | This paper shows that lichens can be used as biomonitors to distinguish urban from industrial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs). PAHs are atmospheric pollutants originating mainly from incomplete combustion of fuels in vehicles and industry. The
occurrence of PAHs in air is a serious health issue in urban areas and industrial areas because some PAHs are carcinogenic.
Biomonitoring PAHs with lichens is generally applied for quantification of PAHs. However, the precise sources of PAHs are
not well known. Here we use lichen to trace the source of PAHs. PAHs were analyzed in Pyxine subcinerea Stirton, a lichen species collected from twelve sites which vary from urban and industrial to periurban forest area of Haridwar,
in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. Total PAH concentration ranged between 1.25 and 187.3 μg g−1. Results indicate a clear distinction between urban and industrial PAHs profile, using principal component analysis. Lichen
sampled from industrial sites exhibited higher concentrations of two-, five-, and six-ringed PAHs, up to 60% of total PAHs,
while samples from urban sites were dominated by four-ringed PAHs, predominantly fluoranthene and acenaphthylene. Molecular
ratios indicate that combustion was the dominant source of origin of PAHs in industrial area, while urban sites showed mixed
origin of PAHs, both pyro- and petrogenic. |
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