Summary
Three different species of Sphagnum mosses originating from a bog (“Hochmoor”) were examined with respect to their behaviour of accumulation of heavy metal ions lead and cadmium. A strong bond of double charged Pb could be found independent of the Sphagnum species. When competitive reactions were performed in test solutions, with two ions (Pb2+ and one alkali or one earthalkali ion) or three (Pb2+ and one earthalkali and one alkali ion) Pb2+ was always accumulated too. This leads to a suppression of exchange of the other ions. Cadmium is by far less strongly bound than lead. Cadmium was tested in combination with two or three ions as was done for lead. The behaviour of cadmium adsorption is similar to that of calcium. For a number of ions typical tendencies were observed, which give insight in the quantity and strength of their binding to the exchanging material. The following series of accumulation was found: Pb2+>Cd2+≥Ca2+>Mg2+>K+>Na+≥NH sup+inf4 . (Accumulation was determined in test solutions containing each ion in the concentration 0.01N.) Differences in this series selectivity could not be found within the three Sphagnum species. But there exist typical differences in the total amount of adsorbed ions per unit dry weight. This species specific value corresponds with total capacities for ion exchange of the three species. Furthermore acid strength as well as pH-dependence of the ion exchanging Sphagnum material were investigated. Its physico-chemical behaviour may be described as that of a weak acid polyelectrolyte with variable charge, depending on ionic strength.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anschütz I, Geßner F (1954) Der Ionenaustausch bei Torfmoosen (Sphagnum). Flora (Jena) 141: 178–236
Aulio K (1980) Nutrient accumulation in Sphagnum mosses. I. A multivariate summarization of the mineral element composition of 13 species from an ombrotrophic raised bog. Ann Bot Fennici 17:307–314
Aulio K (1982) Nutrient accumulation in Sphagnum mosses. II: Intra- and interspecific variation in four species from ombrotrophic and minerotrophic habitats. Ann Bot Fennici 19:93–101
Brehm K (1968) Die Bedeutung des Kationenaustausches für den Kationengehalt lebender Sphagnen. Planta 79:324–345
Brehm K (1975) Mineralstoffernährung und Kationenaustausch auf Hochmooren. Biologie in unserer Zeit 3:85–94
Brown DH (1984) Uptake of mineral elements and their use in pollution monitoring. In: Dyer AF, Duckett JG (eds) Experimental Botany: an international series of monographs, Vol 19. The experimental biology of Bryophytes. XVII + 281P. Academic Press, Inc.: Orlando, FLA., USA; London, England, pp 229–256
Brown DH, Wells JM (1988) Sequential eluation technique for determing the cellular location of the cations. In: Glime JM (ed) Methods in bryology. Proc Bryol Meth Workshop, Mainz, pp 227–233
Clymo RS (1963) Ion exchange in Sphagnum and its relation to bog ecology. Ann Bot (27)106:309–324
Ferguson F, Robinson RN, Press MC, Lee JA (1984) Element concentrations in five Sphagnum species in relation to atmospheric pollution. J Bryol 13:107–114
Glooschenko WA, Sims R, Gregory M, Mayer T (1981) Use of bog vegetation as a monitor of atmospheric inputs of metals. In: Eisenreich SJ (ed) Atmospheric pollutants in natural waters. Ann Arbor, Science Publishers, pp 389–399
Katchalsky A, Spitnik P (1947) Potentiometric titrations of polymetacrylic acid. J Polymer Sci 2:432–446
Kelly MG, Girton C, Whitton BA (1987) Use of moss bags for monitoring heavy metals in rivers. Water Res 21:1429–1436
Kirchhoff M, Rudolph H, Struck C, Deising H (1988) Heavy metal analysis of Sphagnum. In: Glime JM (ed) Methods in bryology. Proc Bryol Meth Workshop, Mainz, pp 221–226
Little P, Martin MH (1974) Biological monitoring of heavy metal pollution. Env Pollut 6:1–19
Lötschert W, Wandtner R (1982) Schwermetallakkumulation in Sphagnetum magellanici aus Hochmooren der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Ber Dt Bot Ges 95:341–351
Mäkinen A (1987) Sphagnum moss-bags in air pollution monitoring in the city of Helsinki. Symposia Biologica Hungaria 35:755–777
Muhle H (1984) Moose als Bioindikatoren. Adv Bryol 2:65–89
Pakarinen P, Tolonen K (1977) Distribution of lead in Sphagnum fuscum profiles in Finland. Oikos 28:69–73
Percy KE (1983) Heavy metal and sulphur concentrations in Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. in the maritime provinces, Canada. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 19:341–349
Pommer AM, Breger IA (1960) Potentiometric titration and equivalent weight of humic acid. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 20:30–44
Posner AM (1964) Titration curves of humic acid. 8th Intern. Congress of Soil Science, Bucharest, Romania
Puustjärvi V (1955) On the colloidal nature of peat forming mosses. Arch. Soc. “Vanamo” 9:257–272
Richter C, Klein M, Dainty J (1985) Ion exchange in cell walls. Annual meeting of Am. Soc. of Plant Physiologists, Providence, R.I., USA, June 23–28
Rudolph H, Brehm K (1965) Kationenaufnahme durch Ionenaustausch? Neue Gesichtspunkte zur Frage der Ernährungsphysiologic der Sphagnen. Ber Dt Bot Ges 78:484–491
Say PJ, Whitton BA (1983) Accumulation of heavy metals by aquatic mosses 1. Fontinalis antipyretica. Hydrobiologia 100:245–260
Scheffer F, Schachtschabel P (1984) Lehrbuch der Bodenkunde, 11. Aufl. Stuttgart: Enke
Schwarzmaier U, Brehm K (1975) Detailed characterization of the cation exchanger in Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. Z Pflanzenphysiol 75:250–255
Spearing AM (1972) Cation-exchange capacity and galacturonic acid content of several species of Sphagnum in Sandy Ridge Bog, Central New York State. Bryologist 75:154–158
Thomas W (1981) Entwicklung eines Immissionsmeßsystems für PCA, Chlorkohlenwasserstoffe und Spurenmetalle mittels epiphytischer Moose — angewandt auf den Raum Bayern. Bayreuther geowissenschaftliche Arbeiten 3:1–142
Thomas W, Herrmann R (1980) Nachweis von Chlorpestiziden, PCB, PCA, und Schwermetallen mittels epiphytischer Moose als Biofilter entlang eines Profils durch Mitteleuropa. Staub — Reinhalt. Luft 40:440–444
Wandtner R, Lötschert W (1980) Schwermetallakkumulation in Hochmooren im Gebiet des Nationalparkes Bayerischer Wald. Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie (Freising-Weihenstephan 1979) 8:247–251
Wehr JD, Whitton BA (1983a) Accumulation of heavy metals by aquatic mosses 2. Rhynchostegium ripariodes. Hydrobiologia 100:261–284
Wehr JD, Whitton BA (1983b) Accumulation of heavy metals by aquatic mosses. 3. Seasonal changes. Hydrobiologia 100:285–292
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Breuer, K., Melzer, A. Heavy metal accumulation (lead and cadmium) and ion exchange in three species of Sphagnaceae . Oecologia 82, 461–467 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00319786
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00319786