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Mosses as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution

Biomonitoring by using plants has been shown in several countries as a costeffective tool for assessing trace element atmospheric deposition. In order to exclude the possibility of adsorption of heavy metals from the soil mosses were used because they have no roots, no cuticle, and acquire all their nutrients from direct exposure to the atmosphere. The research was conducted during 2016 when samples of Brachythecium rutabulum and Hylocomium splendens were collected during the rainy and dry (when the soil was also sampled) season from five sites in the Risnjak National Park. The trace metals Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn were analysed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (HRN ISO 22036:2011), while Hg was analysed by cold- vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HRN ISO 16772:2009). Measured concentrations indicate there is no strong correlation between metal concentrations in soil and mosses. In order to deduce anthropogenic or natural contributions of metals in mosses, the enrichment factors were calculated according to Salomons and Förstner (1984). Enrichment factors were less than 2 for Cd, between 3 and 5 for Cr, greater then 10 for Hg, as well as for the Pb. According to enrichment factors moss samples were highly enriched with Hg and Pb, slightly enriched with Cr, and no enriched with Cd. All the above points to the fact that moss can serve as good bioindicators of atmospheric pollution.

mosses, heavy metals, bioindicators, Risnjak National Park

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