IMBIV   05474
INSTITUTO MULTIDISCIPLINARIO DE BIOLOGIA VEGETAL
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Calibration of Tillandsia species as air pollution biomonitors
Autor/es:
WANNAZ ED, PIGNATA ML.
Revista:
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry
Editorial:
Springer
Referencias:
Año: 2006 vol. 53 p. 185 - 209
ISSN:
0167-7764
Resumen:
Many organisms have been used as bioindicators of atmospheric contamination, with
moss and lichen species being the most common. However, studies using epiphytic vascular species
of Tillandsia have shown a good correlation between the presence of pollutants and the bioindicators
response. Therefore, the aim of our investigation was to calibrate and compare the response of four
Tillandsia species of Argentina to ascertain whether they could be used as atmospheric contamination
biomonitors. For this, we analysed the correlation between the levels of heavy metals in total atmospheric
deposition samples and: a) their rate of enrichment; b) the physiological response of the plant
samples.
Tillandsia samples collected from a non contaminated area in the province of C´ordoba were transplanted
to four areas in the capital city with different sources of pollution (industrial or traffic emissions).
They were exposed for a period of 3 to 6 months after which the concentrations of Pb, Ni, Fe, Zn,
Cu and S as well as the physiological parameters of foliar damage were determined. Simultaneously
samples of total atmospheric deposition were also taken.
The highest level of metal enrichment was found in T. capillaris followed by T. tricholepis, T.
permutata and T. retorta. Also, the use of a foliar damage index proved to be effective and could be a
useful tool to evaluate different levels of atmospheric quality in these species. The rate of heavy metal
deposition was higher in the industrial area for all metals except for Zn whose values were higher in
areas with high levels of traffic..