Comparison among air pollutants, meteorological conditions and some chemical parameters in the transplanted lichen Usnea amblyoclada

CARRERAS, H; PIGNATA, M.L

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2001

0269-7491

The response of Usnea amblyoclada (MuÈ ll. Arg.) Zahlbr. to real concentrations of atmospheric pollutants measured by twoautomatic monitoring stations, was studied in Co rdoba City, Argentina. The in¯uence of di€erent weather conditions on the bio-monitor's response was also assessed. The concentration of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, hydroperoxy-conjugated dienes, andmalondialdehyde were quanti®ed in lichen thalli collected from a clean area and in transplanted thalli after 1 month of exposure inan urban area, from April to October, 1996. The dry weight/fresh weight, chlorophyll b/chlorophyll a and phaeophytin a/chlor-ophyll a ratios were also calculated. Data sets were evaluated by two-way analysis of variance and correlation analysis. It wasobserved that hydroperoxy-conjugated dienes, malondialdehyde, chlorophylls, and pigment degradation increase during winter-time, when higher levels of suspended particles, non-methane hydrocarbons, hydrogen sul®de and ozone were also measured. These®ndings would be connected mainly with meteorological conditions, as most pollutants did not exceed prescribed threshold levels.