Lichen transplants for high spatial resolution biomonitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in a multi-source polluted area of Central Italy

Lorenzo Massimi; Federica Castellani; Carmela Protano; Marcelo Enrique Conti; Arianna Antonucci; Maria Agostina Frezzini; Mara Galletti; Giustino Mele; Andrea Pileri; Martina Ristorini; Matteo Vitali; Silvia Canepari

Ecological Indicators (Jan 2021)

Lichen transplants for high spatial resolution biomonitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in a multi-source polluted area of Central Italy

Lorenzo Massimi,
Federica Castellani,
Carmela Protano,
Marcelo Enrique Conti,
Arianna Antonucci,
Maria Agostina Frezzini,
Mara Galletti,
Giustino Mele,
Andrea Pileri,
Martina Ristorini,
Matteo Vitali,
Silvia Canepari

Affiliations

Lorenzo Massimi: Department of Chemistry, University of Rome La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Federica Castellani: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Carmela Protano: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Corresponding author at: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Marcelo Enrique Conti: Department of Management, University of Rome La Sapienza, Viale del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Rome, Italy
Arianna Antonucci: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Maria Agostina Frezzini: Department of Chemistry, University of Rome La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Mara Galletti: ARPA Umbria, Via Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, 23, 05100 Terni, Italy
Giustino Mele: Department of Management, University of Rome La Sapienza, Viale del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Rome, Italy
Andrea Pileri: ARPA Umbria, Via Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, 23, 05100 Terni, Italy
Martina Ristorini: Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Pesche (IS), 86090, Italy
Matteo Vitali: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Silvia Canepari: Department of Chemistry, University of Rome La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 120
p. 106921

Abstract

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The ability of lichen transplant Evernia prunastri (L.) Ach. to reflect air concentration and spatial distribution of 7 polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), 10 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and 23 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was evaluated through the construction of a wide and dense biomonitoring network. For this purpose, 23 lichen transplants were placed in a highly polluted area in Central Italy, characterized by the presence of different local emission sources such as a power plant, a steel plant, vehicular traffic, and domestic heating. The high spatial resolution data obtained from lichens were used to map the spatial distribution of the studied compounds, useful to identify the location and strength of target compounds sources over the territory. The maps showed that the highest concentrations of the pollutants were detected, as expected, in the sites close to the power plant and to the steel plant, confirming their important role as persistent pollutants emission sources. The statistical analysis performed on the spatially resolved data allowed us to identify the steel plant as the main source of PCDD/Fs, while PCBs were emitted by both the steel plant and the power plant. Finally, the efficiency of lichen transplants to reflect PCDD/Fs and PCBs atmospheric concentrations was assessed by comparing lichen data with POPs deposition measured by bulk deposition samplers at sites impacted by intensive emission sources; good results were achieved from the comparison (R2 > 0.79). Lichen transplants have demonstrated to be suitable biomonitors of POPs, allowing to obtain a high spatial monitoring network. The low-cost biomonitoring and experimental approach described in this study can be applied to other monitoring campaigns for identifying localizing emission sources of POPs in areas contaminated by several disaggregated sources.

Published in Ecological Indicators

ISSN: 1470-160X (Print); 1872-7034 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Ecology
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-indicators

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