Volume 508, 1 March 2015, Pages 95–100
Highlights
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- We measured PCDD/F concentrations in lichens over a decade, from 2000 to 2011.
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- PCDD/Fs in lichens have decreased approximately 70%.
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- This decline couldn't be only explained by the reduction in industrial emissions.
Abstract
Lichens
are one of the most useful environmental biomonitors, due to their
ability to clearly reflect atmospheric deposition of pollutants. Dioxin
and furan (PCDD/F) emissions have been reported to be decreasing in
North European countries as a consequence of European regulations. This
reduction has been perceptible across several environmental matrices,
but it hasn't yet been shown in lichens as typical biomonitors of
atmospheric pollution. In this work we compared concentrations of
PCDD/Fs in two lichen species collected in a Mediterranean area with
mixed land-uses, encompassing urban, industrial and natural areas, in
2009 and 2011 with the ones obtained in the same species collected in
the same region in 2000. We found that PCDD/F concentrations in both
lichen species have decreased approximately 70% since 2000 whereas
industrial emissions have only decreased 25% for the same period. This
substantial greater reduction observed in lichens may be due to several
causes; after excluding fires as a possible explanation, we point out
that possible causes could not only be the overall decrease in
industrial emissions but also other causes such as traffic reduction
and/or increase efficiency in the use of fuels.
Capsule: PCDD/F concentrations in lichens have decreased 70% over the last decade, whereas industrial emissions have only decreased 25%.
Keywords
- Dioxins and furans;
- Lichens;
- Industrial;
- Urban;
- Biomonitors;
- Air quality;
- POPs
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