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The Influence of Unidentified Pollution Sources on the Irregularity of Biomonitoring Tests Results

Water, Air, and Soil Pollution volume 191, pages 345–352 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Pollution due to ashes spilt out into forest roads has been identified. This source influences the analytes concentrations in soil in their close vicinity. The anomaly was discovered during the biomonitoring tests conducted in the area of Bory Stobrawskie (southern Poland). Samples of Pleurozium schreberi moss and soil collected near the road showed higher values of macro- and microelements in comparison with other samples collected within the monitored area. A total of 41 elements was determined: 38 using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and 3 using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). It has been demonstrated that the analytes concentration in ashes is several to a dozen or so times even higher than mean concentrations determined in soil samples collected at a distance of 5 to 30 km from the road (pollution source). In mosses growing near the road covered with ash, increased concentration of the following elements has been determined: Mg, Al, Cl, Ca, Sc, V, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, Se, Br, Cd, I, La, Dy, Yb, Ta and Th, which could gives evidence to the presence of bioavailable forms of these elements. This anomaly could lead to erroneous assessment of deposition of pollutants created by emitters long apart.

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Affiliations

  1. Chair of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Opole University, ul. Kard. B. Kominka 4, 45-032, Opole, Poland

    Andrzej Kłos, Małgorzata Rajfur & Maria Wacławek

  2. Department of Chemical Physics, Opole University, ul. Oleska 48, 45-052, Opole, Poland

    Witold Wacławek

  3. Department of Neutron Activation Analysis, Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980, Dubna, Moscow Region, Russia

    Marina V. Frontasyeva & Julia S. Pankratova

Authors
  1. Andrzej Kłos
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  2. Małgorzata Rajfur
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  3. Maria Wacławek
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  4. Witold Wacławek
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  5. Marina V. Frontasyeva
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  6. Julia S. Pankratova
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Correspondence to Andrzej Kłos.

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Kłos, A., Rajfur, M., Wacławek, M. et al. The Influence of Unidentified Pollution Sources on the Irregularity of Biomonitoring Tests Results. Water Air Soil Pollut 191, 345–352 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9629-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9629-8

Keywords

  • Biomonitors
  • Moss
  • Soil
  • INAA
  • AAS