Epiphytic lichen Flavoparmelia caperata as a sentinel for trace metal pollution

• Main Authors: Mitrović Tatjana, Stamenković Slaviša, Cvetković Vladimir, Nikolić Miloš, Baošić Rada, Mutić Jelena, Anđelković Tatjana, Bojić Aleksandar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serbian Chemical Society 2012-01-01
• Series: Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society
• Subjects: lichen; Flavoparmelia caperata; trace metals; sentinel; biomonitoring
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0352-5139/2012/0352-51391200031M.pdf
• ISSN: 0352-5139

Widely spread lichen specie Flavoparmelia caperata is used in a biomonitoring study for atmospheric trace metal pollution in natural ecosystems in Southeastern Serbia. The concentration and distribution pattern of 21 metals in lichens were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The difference observed between metal deposition in peripheral and central parts of lichen thalli reflected air quality changes in the last and previous years. These findings were confirmed with principal component analysis. Our study demonstrated the accumulation of Ba, K, Mg, Na, Tl and Zn in peripheral parts of thalli, while As, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, Li, Ni, Pb and Se were concentrated in central parts of thalli.