Monitoring atmospheric metal pollution: a review of the use of mosses as indicators

This article reviews the literatureon the use of mosses for monitoring atmospheric metalpollution. It discusses the nature of mosses, themechanisms for moss uptake of metals from the air andwet precipitation, the various forms in which mossesare used for this purpose, and cases in which mosseshave been used for monitoring local hot spots ofpollution, and regional patterns of metal pollution.Also highlighted are the questions of uptake of metalsfrom the substrates, interspecies differences, and acomparison of the effectiveness of mosses with otherindicator materials, among other issues.     

Cadmium and Lead Levels in Fish (Tilapia Nilotica) Tissues as Biological Indicator for Lake Water Pollution

Cadmium and lead were determined in different tissues (muscle,gill, stomach, intestine, liver, vertebral column and scales) of Tilapia nilotica from the High Dam Lake, Aswan (Egypt) to assess the lake water pollution with those toxic metals. Fish samples were chosen from different ages and weights to be analyzed along with samples of the aquatic plant(Najas armeta), sediment and lake water.The results showed that cadmium and lead concentrations were higher in fish scales and vertebral column than in the other parts of the fish. Cadmium and lead levels in High Dam lake water and fish (Tilapia nilotica) were a result of the pollution which uptakes from aquatic plants, sediments andgasoline containing lead that leaks from fishery boats. Tilapia nilotica fish was used as a good bio-assay indicator for the lake pollution with cadmium and lead. The fish musclesin this study were in the safety baseline levels for man consumption.     

Mulberry-silkworm food chain--a templet to assess heavy metal mobility in terrestrial ecosystems

Assessment of the food chain mobility of heavy metals inthe natural ecosystem receives more attention nowadays. Inthe present study, mulberry-silkworm food chain has beenfocused as a templet to assess the biomobility of heavymetals in soil-higher plant-insect hierarchy. Both in thecase of Cd and Cu treatments, higher mobility wasobserved in the level-1 (soil–root) followed by level-3(leaf–larva), level-4 (larvae–faecal) and level-2(root–leaf). Consequently, roots accumulated more amountsof Cd and Cu, with a limited transport to the leaves.Among the two metals (Cd and Cu) tested, in the plant,the transfer potential of Cd exceeds that of Cu. Whereasin the case of leaf–larval transfer, Cu precedes overCd. Accumulation of Cd and Cu in all the levels (1–4)tested showed a concentration dependent increase, except inthe level 4 (larva–faecal) of Cd treatment where adeclining trend was noticed.     

The Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Zn Deposition Around a Metal Smelter in Latvia

Heavy metal concentrations in Hylocomium splendens collected around a metal smelter in Latvia showed very high concentrations of Zn (>200 g/g), and elevated concentrations of Pb (38.3 g/g) and Cu (18.3 g/g). In an attempt to better evaluate the potential toxicity of the high Zn concentrations, a serial elution method was used to determine the concentrations of zinc in intercellular, extracellular exchangeable cell wall, intracellular, and particle fractions. The intercellular Zn concentrations represent the water soluble component of the total concentrations, and were low with no clear trends. Zn concentrations in the extra- and intracellular and particle fractions decreased exponentially from the pollutant source. Intracellular Zn concentrations in moss close to the emission source are within the range considered to be potentially toxic, from other single element exposure studies. The proportion of Zn in the relatively insoluble particle fraction, which is least associated with environmental risk, was greater closer to the pollution source, reaching > 30% in the oldest Hylocomium splendens segments.     

Modeling rhizofiltration: heavy-metal uptake by plant roots

The discovery of phytoaccumulation potential of plant species has led to its application for remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soil and wastewater, which is termed as phytoextraction/rhizofiltration. For prediction, analysis, planning and cost-effective design of such systems, mathematical models not only are used as a screening tool but also provide optimal parameters like harvesting time, irrigation schedule, etc. Several laboratory and field scale studies have been carried out in the past, and mathematical expressions have been developed by various researchers for different phenomena like metal adsorption in soil, plant root growth with time, moisture and metal uptake by plant root, moisture movement in unsaturated zone, soil moisture relationship, etc. The complete design of any such phytoremediation program would require the knowledge of behavior of heavy-metal movement in soil, water and plant root system. In this paper, a model for simulating heavy-metal dynamics in soil, water and plant root system is developed and discussed. The governing non-linear partial differential equation is solved numerically by implicit finite difference method using Picard's iterative technique, and the formulation has been illustrated using a characteristic example. The source code is written in MATLAB.     

Assessment of the Heavy Metal Pollution Effects on the Soil Respiration in the Baix Llobregat (Catalonia, NE Spain)

A main goal of investigations is to determine could a soilrespiration be an indicator of the soil pollution. In this case a measured levelof the soil oxygen consumption depends of its pollution. It alsomeans that the pollution reduces biological processes in edaphon.Investigated soil samples were taken from polluted andnon-polluted places in the Baix Llobregat near Barcelona (Catalonia, NE Spain). Soil samples were taken from the top ofsoil (0–5 cm) without a litter. Soil analysis were done, determining percentage shares of coarsefragments, coarse sand, fine sand, coarse silt, fine silt, clay,CaCO₃, organic matter as well as water pH and conductivityCE (1:5 [mS cm^-1]). Also were determined (in mg kg^-1)quantities of heavy metals, as Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Cr, Ni, V, Cu, Cd, Pb.The soil respiration was investigated in temperatures15 and 30 °C and with controlled humidity.The respiration in 30 °C is number of times greater thenin 15 °C both for polluted and non-polluted soils.Particularly high coefficients of correlation between the soilrespiration and soil pollution in polluted soils were obtainedfor Pb: r = 0.75 in 15 °C and r = 0.98 in30 °C; for Ba: 0.90 and 0.57; for V: 0.99 and 0.81. In non-polluted soils highest correlation coefficients are for Pb: r = 0.70 in 15 °C; Fe: 0.60 and 0.72; Al: 0.68 and0.64; Mn: 0.51 and 0.66; Ba: 0.63 and 0.61; Cr: 0.94 and0.70; Ni: 0.64 and 0.65; Cu: 0.69 and 0.48; as well as V: 0.62in 15 °C; and Cd: 0.69 in 15 °C.This way the soil respiration could be a good indicator of the soil pollution.     

Heavy metals in water bodies purified by suspended substrate of rivers

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膨润土吸附－絮凝法处理污水中的重金属离子

研究了天然膨润土对Ｐｂ￣（２＋）、Ｃｄ￣（２＋）、Ｃｒ￣（３＋）的吸附和膨润土的絮凝沉降条件，将吸附与絮凝过程结合起来形成处理污水的新工艺，加入０．０４％膨润土和０．００６％的ＰＡＣ可使低浓度污水中Ｐｂ￣（２＋）脱除９３．１％。     

城市生活垃圾理化性质的动态特性分析

对太原市城市生活垃圾的组成、化学元素及重金属等进行了1年(每月2次)共24次的分析。结果表明,太原市生活垃圾的组成在焚烧过程中,能产生低位热值(Q低)的有机物占(44.28±2.24)％,不产生低位热值的无机物占(13.94±2.01)％,混合物(破碎的动植物碎片及粘附在其上面的灰、土、砂)占(43.36±8.67)％。垃圾中可燃物比例较高,水分含量较低,有利于焚烧和热解,低位热值(Q低)平均值为(5590.8±1252.3)kJ/kg,但低位热值随季节变化较大。垃圾中化学元素硫(S)、氯(Cl)、氮(N)、氢(H)、碳(C)、氧(O)的年平均值分别为(0.20±0.13)％、(0.48±0.11)％、(0.87±0.18)％、(2.56±0.76)％、(30.78±4.06)％、(16.42±5.17)％,与其他城市相比,S、N、Cl的含量较高。垃圾中的重金属铅(Pb)、镉(Cd)的年平均值分别为41.94mg/Kg和1.806mg/kg;汞(Hg)含量变化较大。焚烧后的灰渣中,Pb部分挥发,Cd得到富集,但几乎无Hg检出。     

重金属胁迫下植物生态型、MT和PCs的响应

植物对重金属的耐性有一定的生理和分子生物学依据,文章总结了在重金属胁迫下,植物的生态型、MT和PCs的变化,对进一步研究植物抗重金属机理提供参考。