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Magnetic signature of different vegetation species in polluted environment

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Abstract

Detailed magnetic study on vegetation samples from several strongly polluted and clean sites in Bulgaria is carried out in order to evaluate suitability of different species as passive dust collectors in magnetometry. From each location, available species among lichens, mosses, poplar leaves, dandelion, needles have been sampled. Magnetic susceptibility calculated on mass-specific basis shows wide variability between diamagnetic signal up to 846 × 10−8 m3/kg. Lichens and mosses are found to be the species, showing magnetic signals with the strongest contrast between clean and polluted environment. The main magnetic phase is magnetite-like according to the results from thermomagnetic analysis of susceptibility on magnetic extracts. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microphotographs reveal the presence of abundant particulate matter on vegetation surface both with anthropogenic (spherules) and lithogenic origin. Magnetic grain size deduced by the ratio of saturation remanent magnetization (SIRM) and mass-specific magnetic susceptibility (χ) and coercivities (Bc and Bcr) suggest that different species accumulate preferentially small SD-like grains from pollution emissions. Contrasting relationship of the ratio of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and χ for polluted vs clean sites deduced by needles and lichens may be related to transformation of the accumulated dust particles within lichens’ tissue. This finding indicates that the exact species used as biological dust collector is of importance when studying spatial grain size distribution of magnetic dust particles. Pilot study on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) content and its relation to magnetic parameters shows good correspondence between high levels of PAHs and high SIRM values for locations affected by non-ferrous industrial production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geophysical Institute, Bulg. Acad. Sci., Acad. Bonchev str., block 3, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Diana Jordanova, Petar Petrov & Neli Jordanova

  2. Center of Applied Geosciences, Univ. Tuebingen, Sigwartstrasse 10, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany

    Viktor Hoffmann & Tilman Gocht

  3. Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, Palaeomagnetic Laboratory N. Balcescu 1, 010041, Bucharest, Romania

    Cristian Panaiotu

  4. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulg. Acad. Sci., Acad. Bonchev Str., bl. 11, Sofia, 1113, Bulgaria

    Tsenka Tsacheva

Authors
  1. Diana Jordanova
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  2. Petar Petrov
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  3. Viktor Hoffmann
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  4. Tilman Gocht
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  5. Cristian Panaiotu
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  6. Tsenka Tsacheva
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  7. Neli Jordanova
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Correspondence to Diana Jordanova.

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Jordanova, D., Petrov, P., Hoffmann, V. et al. Magnetic signature of different vegetation species in polluted environment. Stud Geophys Geod 54, 417–442 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11200-010-0025-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11200-010-0025-7

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