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Abstract
Mosses of the species Hypnum cupressiforme were collected from different parts of Hungary to investigate the air quality of the region. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in species were determined. Low molecular weight PAHs (up to three ring compounds) contribute more than 99% to the concentrations of PAHs in Moss samples. The pattern of PAHs suggests local sources rather than long-range transport of contamination in the air. Possible local sources are industrial, urban, and traffic activities. The results indicate incomplete combustion of fuel is largely responsible for the air quality of the area.
Acknowledgments
We gratefully thank Edit Otvos for her help in collecting the moss samples, and the invaluable contribution of Orsolya Farkas for her assistance in the accomplishment of the experiments. The aid of Dr. Imre Kozák in the valuation and interpretation of the results is gratefully acknowledged. The project was partly funded by the Environmental Sciences Partnership Program of the USA State Department and the German-Hungarian Scientific and Technological Cooperation (#D-36/02).