Characterization of Heavy Metal Air Pollution in Romania Using Moss Biomonitoring, Neutron Activation Analysis, and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

ABSTRACT

Heavy metal air pollution in Romania was investigated by using passive moss biomonitoring. This study is a component of an international UNECE ICP Vegetation Program – moss survey. A total of 330 samples of Hypnum cupressiforme, Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, and other mosses were collected in Romania in the summer and autumn of 2010. The concentrations of aluminum, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, vanadium, and zinc were determined by graphite furnace/flame atomic absorption spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis. The results were statistically processed to obtain spatial distribution maps of factor scores based on elemental concentrations in the moss, together with the spatial distribution maps of heavy metals in moss. The median concentrations of cadmium, 1.20 mg/kg dry weight, and lead, 30.8 mg/kg dry weight, were high compared with other European countries. The results revealed that the atmospheric deposition of these metals is a problem in north and northwest Romania.

KEYWORDS:

• Flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS)
• graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS)
• heavy metals
• moss biomonitoring
• NAA
• neutron activation analysis

Acknowledgement

We thank Professor Octavian Duliu from the University of Bucharest for the help with data interpretation.

Additional information

Funding

The research leading to these results has received funding from the research project “Nuclear and related analytical techniques for Environmental and Life Sciences”, based on scientific protocols nos. 3869-4-08/10 and 4080-4-11/13 between Valahia University of Targoviste (UVT), Romania and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia.