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3 pages, 171 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Biomonitoring of Air Pollution

by Simonetta Giordano, Valeria Spagnuolo and Fiore Capozzi

Atmosphere 2021, 12(4), 433; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12040433 - 28 Mar 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3083

Abstract

The World Health Organization reported that air pollution in 2012 caused the death of about 7 million people worldwide (WHO, 2014), confirming air pollution as one of the principal environmental health risks in the world, and indicating its reduction as an urgent mission [...] Read more.

The World Health Organization reported that air pollution in 2012 caused the death of about 7 million people worldwide (WHO, 2014), confirming air pollution as one of the principal environmental health risks in the world, and indicating its reduction as an urgent mission to save millions of lives [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

Research

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9 pages, 1272 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Trace Element Concentrations Measured in a Biomonitor (Tree Bark) for Assessing Mortality and Morbidity of Urban Population: A New Promising Approach for Exploiting the Potential of Public Health Data

by Giuliana Drava, Giorgia Ailuno and Vincenzo Minganti

Atmosphere 2020, 11(8), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11080783 - 24 Jul 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2879

Abstract

The usefulness of bioindicators to study the state of the environment in different compartments (air, water, and soil) has been demonstrated for a long time. All persistent pollutants can be measured in some form of bioindicator, and numerous organisms are suitable for the [...] Read more.

The usefulness of bioindicators to study the state of the environment in different compartments (air, water, and soil) has been demonstrated for a long time. All persistent pollutants can be measured in some form of bioindicator, and numerous organisms are suitable for the biomonitoring purpose. In most of the works on this topic, bioindicators are used to highlight the impact of human activities. Generally, samples collected from polluted areas are compared with samples from an area considered as clean, or samples from areas characterized by different pollution sources are compared with each other. An approach that has not been attempted consists in correlating directly data on environmental quality obtained by bioindicators with parameters measuring the population health. In the present study, the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn measured by atomic emission spectrometry (ICP OES) in 56 samples of holm oak bark from trees located in urban parks and along streets in a Northern Italy city were related to the data describing the health status of the citizens. The concentrations of some of the 10 trace elements in the bioindicator were found significantly correlated with mortality and morbidity data regarding cardiac and respiratory diseases. The results, although preliminary, show the potential of this approach for implementing strategies aimed for disease prevention and health promotion in urban areas at risk, with the objective of reducing environmental and health inequalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

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14 pages, 2617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Monitoring of Air Pollution by Moss Bags around an Oil Refinery: A Critical Evaluation over 16 Years

by Antonio De Agostini, Pierluigi Cortis and Annalena Cogoni

Atmosphere 2020, 11(3), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11030272 - 9 Mar 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4642

Abstract

The present study analyzes the results of a biomonitoring campaign, carried out by means of Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. moss bags around an oil refinery, located in the southwestern part of Sardinia island (Italy). This work focuses mainly on the effects of rainfall and [...] Read more.

The present study analyzes the results of a biomonitoring campaign, carried out by means of Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. moss bags around an oil refinery, located in the southwestern part of Sardinia island (Italy). This work focuses mainly on the effects of rainfall and distance from the source of contamination on the content of 14 trace elements measured over 16 years. In addition, to point out any increasing or decreasing trends, as well as any peak in presence of airborne pollutants in the area, annual elements’ concentration values are plotted and discussed. Coefficients of variation were also calculated on accumulation values in order to evaluate stability of measurements across the years and to evaluate if similar exposure conditions, i.e., humidity and distance from contamination source, resulted in more uniform accumulation values. In conclusion, (i) the vicinity of the source of contamination as well as rainfall influenced element content in the biomonitor in the case study differently, depending on the considered element and on the exposure condition, (ii) H. cupressiforme moss bags provided relatively stable measurements during the 16-year time frame (observed variations in elements content can be attributed to environmental inputs in the area), (iii) similar conditions of exposure determined less variable accumulation values. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

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16 pages, 5231 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evidence of Ozone-Induced Visible Foliar Injury in Hong Kong Using Phaseolus Vulgaris as a Bioindicator

by Felix Leung, Jacky Y. S. Pang, Amos P. K. Tai, Timothy Lam, Donald K. C. Tao and Katrina Sharps

Atmosphere 2020, 11(3), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11030266 - 7 Mar 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6905

Abstract

(1) Background: Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with millions of people exposed to severe air pollution. Surface ozone, mostly produced photochemically from anthropogenic precursor gases, is harmful to both humans and vegetation. The phytotoxicity of [...] Read more.

(1) Background: Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with millions of people exposed to severe air pollution. Surface ozone, mostly produced photochemically from anthropogenic precursor gases, is harmful to both humans and vegetation. The phytotoxicity of ozone has been shown to damage plant photosynthesis, induce early leaf death, and retard growth. (2) Methods: We use genotypes of bush bean Phaseolus vulgaris with various degrees of sensitivity to ozone to investigate the impacts of ambient ozone on the morphology and development of the beans. We use ozone-induced foliar injury index and measure the flowering and fruit production to quantify the ozone stress on the plants. (3) Results: We expected that the ozone-sensitive genotype would suffer from a reduction of yield. Results, however, show that the ozone-sensitive genotype suffers higher ozone-induced foliar damage as expected but produces more pods and beans and heavier beans than the ozone-resistant genotype. (4) Conclusions: It is postulated that the high ozone sensitivity of the sensitive genotype causes stress-induced flowering, and therefore results in higher bean yield. A higher than ambient concentration of ozone is needed to negatively impact the yield production of the ozone-sensitive genotype. Meanwhile, ozone-induced foliar damage shows a graduated scale of damage pattern that can be useful for indicating ozone levels. This study demonstrates the usefulness of bioindicators to monitor the phytotoxic effects of ozone pollution in a subtropical city such as Hong Kong. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

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17 pages, 4146 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Efficiency of Arundo donax L. Leaves as Biomonitors for Atmospheric Element Concentrations in an Urban and Industrial Area of Central Italy

by Martina Ristorini, Maria Luisa Astolfi, Maria Agostina Frezzini, Silvia Canepari and Lorenzo Massimi

Atmosphere 2020, 11(3), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11030226 - 26 Feb 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2858

Abstract

Washed and unwashed Arundo donax L. (A. donax) leaves were analyzed for elements, and results were compared with element concentrations detected in river water and particulate matter (PM) Samples were collected along a river in an urban and industrial hot spot [...] Read more.

Washed and unwashed Arundo donax L. (A. donax) leaves were analyzed for elements, and results were compared with element concentrations detected in river water and particulate matter (PM) Samples were collected along a river in an urban and industrial hot spot of Central Italy, where element concentrations show relevant spatial gradients both in air and river water. The aim of this study is to identify the role of the two environmental matrices on leaves composition. Element concentrations of washed and unwashed leaves were compared to differentiate between the superficial deposition and the uptake into leaf tissues of elements. Water-soluble and -insoluble element concentrations were measured in PM₁₀ samples collected on membrane filters by using innovative high spatial resolution samplers. The comparison among leaf and atmospheric concentrations of PM₁₀ elements showed a similar trend for Ni, Mo, Cr, Ti, and Fe, which are reliable tracers of the PM₁₀ contribution by steel plant and vehicular traffic. Soluble species appeared to be mainly bounded into leaf tissues, while insoluble species were deposited on their surface. On the other hand, element concentrations detected in washed A. donax leaves were poorly correlated with those measured in river water samples. The obtained results proved that A. donax leaves can be used as reliable biomonitors for the evaluation of the atmospheric concentrations of some PM₁₀ elemental components. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

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15 pages, 1776 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temporal and Cross-Regional Variability in the Level of Air Pollution in Poland—A Study Using Moss as a Bioindicator

by Paweł Kapusta and Barbara Godzik

Atmosphere 2020, 11(2), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11020157 - 3 Feb 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2977

Abstract

This study assessed recent (2015) and past (2001) levels of air pollution in four regions of Poland by moss monitoring. The surveyed regions encompassed, among others, copper and zinc-lead industrial districts, large urban agglomerations and an area away from pollution sources. Moss ( [...] Read more.

This study assessed recent (2015) and past (2001) levels of air pollution in four regions of Poland by moss monitoring. The surveyed regions encompassed, among others, copper and zinc-lead industrial districts, large urban agglomerations and an area away from pollution sources. Moss (Pleurozium schreberi) was sampled from 117 sites. In 2001, the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined. In 2015, 10 extra elements were analyzed in addition to these metals. The results showed that the regions substantially differed in the chemical profile of air pollution, which corresponded well with the type of industry and the degree of industrialization and urbanization. There was also a significant change in air pollution between the 2001 and 2015 surveys, but it was inconsistent: its magnitude and direction were both metal-dependent and region-dependent. Namely, while the levels of some metals (e.g., Cd and Pb) decreased, other metals (e.g., Cr and Ni) showed the opposite trend. Importantly, these decreases (or increases) were usually limited to regions of low concentrations of a given metal. The results suggest that air quality has not significantly improved recently, but the type of emissions has changed. It seems that the importance of non-industrial pollution sources has increased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

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10 pages, 2008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological Traits Influence the Uptake Ability of Priority Pollutant Elements by Hypnum cupressiforme and Robinia pseudoacacia Leaves

by Fiore Capozzi, Anna Di Palma, Maria Cristina Sorrentino, Paola Adamo, Simonetta Giordano and Valeria Spagnuolo

Atmosphere 2020, 11(2), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11020148 - 29 Jan 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2449

Abstract

In this paper, a biomonitoring survey of airborne priority pollutant elements was carried out using leaves of native black locust and moss bags filled with Hypnum cupressiforme. The aims of the work were (i) to evaluate if mosses and leaves provide similar [...] Read more.

In this paper, a biomonitoring survey of airborne priority pollutant elements was carried out using leaves of native black locust and moss bags filled with Hypnum cupressiforme. The aims of the work were (i) to evaluate if mosses and leaves provide similar information regarding the accumulation of the elements of environmental concern (As, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, Zn, Tl); (ii) to evaluate if leaf traits are significantly involved in the uptake mechanisms. Hypnum transplants showed elemental contents generally higher than R. pseudoacacia leaves, despite the shorter exposure time. Moss accumulated larger amounts of elements linked to PM and the resuspension of soil dust. Based on the calculation of deposition flux for each element, R. pseudoacacia showed lower values for most elements—except Cr, Mo and Zn—indicating that uptake takes place both by deposition on the leaf surface and absorption via the root. Leaf traits (micromorphology of surface) play an important role in the interception and retention of PM-linked elements. Hypnum transplanted in bags was confirmed to be a powerful bio-accumulator of airborne elements; by contrast, R. pseudoacacia, with a smooth surface and scarce trichomes, showed a limited ability in airborne element retention. Therefore, widely diffused species, well-adapted to anthropized environments, such as black locust, not always can be considered as good biomonitors. The results are discussed in comparison to other vascular plant species used in biomonitoring studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

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Review

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16 pages, 4108 KiB

Open AccessReview

Use of Bioindication Methods in National, Regional and Local Monitoring in Poland—Changes in the Air Pollution Level over Several Decades

by Barbara Godzik

Atmosphere 2020, 11(2), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11020143 - 28 Jan 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3761

Abstract

In Poland, the first studies using mosses as indicators of the heavy metal air pollution level were carried out in national parks already in the 1970s. They were continued later in 10-year intervals. In 1990, when Poland join the European Heavy Metals Deposition [...] Read more.

In Poland, the first studies using mosses as indicators of the heavy metal air pollution level were carried out in national parks already in the 1970s. They were continued later in 10-year intervals. In 1990, when Poland join the European Heavy Metals Deposition Program, the entire area of the country was included in such research. Moss surveys were repeated at five-year intervals, to varying degrees. Pleurozium schreberi samples were collected from 150 (1990) to over 300 sites (1995 and 2015) throughout the country, either in selected regions diversified in terms of both the level of industrialization and urbanization (2001 and 2015), or only in national parks (2005). On a small scale, changes in the level of heavy metals were recorded in the period from 1975 to 2014 in the Niepołomice Forest located near Kraków. Concentrations of ten heavy metals were constantly monitored. Additionally, in some moss surveys, other elements or compounds, such as ¹³⁷cesium, PAHs and nitrogen were analyzed. During the 1990s, in all of Europe, there was a significant decrease in the level of heavy metals. In Poland, the spatial patterns of metal accumulation in mosses were similar throughout the entire study period: The southern part of the country, more industrialized and densely populated, is still the most polluted, and the northeastern part belongs to the cleanest regions. In the Niepołomice Forest, emissions from the big steel mill and from the Kraków agglomeration had the greatest impact on pollution from the 1970s to the 1990s, but lately the impact of local emission sources is more visible. Compared to other European countries, Poland and neighboring countries of Central Europe are at the forefront of the most polluted areas in Europe. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomonitoring of Air Pollution)

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