engleski

Study of parameters influencing metal accumulation in pine needles(Pinus nigra)

Anthropological activities during the last decades led to heavy metal pollution in the environment, causing problems due to their toxicity. (Heavy) metals are accumulated in crops or plants. Pine needles are considered as good bio-monitors for air pollutants. In Vienna (capital of Austria) many pine tree of the species Pinus nigra grow at various places. Needles of such pine trees were collected at different places in the city, characterised by high, medium and low traffic volume in spring and summer 2015. Fresh needles from that year as well as one-year-old needles were sampled. Thus, changes in space and time could be investigated in addition to the differences in needle age. After sampling the needles were washed and dried prior to acidic microwave assisted digestion. The quantitative determination of 22 elements was carried out using inductively coupled plasma – sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS). The elements chosen were Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, U, V, and Zn. Analysis of the data obtained for the fresh needles compared to the one-year-old ones revealed, that the contents of Ag, B, Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Li, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, U, and V differ significantly. Except for Ni, higher amounts were found in the older needles. Regarding the sampling site and thus the traffic volume, only the Li content is statistically significant higher in needles from trees at the place with high and that with low traffic. All the other elements are in the same range. Comparing medium and low traffic volume, statistically significant higher contents are found in the samples from the former site for Li, Mo and Zn. Boron shows a similar behaviour, but the result does not differ statistically significantly (p = 0.057). Conversely, Al, Pb and V are present in needles from low traffic site in higher amounts than at medium traffic site, in each case p lies between 0.05 and 0.06. In the needles sampled at high traffic site, the contents of Al, Pb and V are higher than in those from low traffic place, thus the differences found for these elements between medium and high traffic site are statistically significant. Also Co exhibits the same pattern, whereas B and Mo are highest in needles from medium traffic site with statistically significance. These findings show that not only the local traffic situation determines the metal impact, but via translocation processes and/or not traffic related sources even in remote places higher contamination can be registered. At all three sampling sites samples were collected from May to August once per week. The metal contents determined change with time, but no general tendency can be observed.

metal, accumulation, pine needles, ICP-SFMS

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