On the Use of Morus Alba Bark as a Comparative Indicator or air pollution in Argentina

ANA FAGGI,; MARIA CASTRO; PATRICIA E. PERELMAN; EDUARDO MARTINEZ CARRETERO

Hong Kong - China

Conferencia; 15th International Conference on Environmental Bioindicators; 2007

International Society of Environmental Bioindicators

Multielemental bark analyses, as an estimation tool of air contamination, is an interesting alternative, especially when large areas have to be covered and when air monitoring is scarce. In Argentina, data of air quality is limited and direct methods for assessing pollutants are not frequently used because of their high costs. In the present study we used the bark of Morus alba (white mulberry) to compare trends of pollution in the metropolis Buenos Aires (population 12 millions) and Mendoza, a middle provincial city (800000 inhabitants). Twenty bark samples of white mulberry were collected in both cities along main streets in urban and periurban locations. The samples were analysed using ICP-OES to detect Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn. The resulting data have been treated by an ANOVA. Statistically significant differences (95% Tuckey) are found between Mendoza and Buenos Aires, in urban and periurban locations. As expected, Buenos Aires, a highly populated metropolis with about 1. 5 million vehicles circulating per day, showed higher levels of Ba, Cu, Ni, Cr in the urban area and of Ba, Zn, Cu, Cr in the periurban. In Buenos Aires, no difference was found between bark samples collected in the urban and periurban areas. Although the periurban is immersed in a matrix of forestations, meadows and recreational facilities, it is very much influenced by the highway, which commutes the city with the international Airport. In Mendoza periurban Hg levels are statistically different from downtown and are linked to waste deposition and agricultural activities. Although it is difficult to determine the origin of elements, specially where there are multiple sources, in the studied areas, elements detected by bark indicates an important deposition coming from soil particles blown by wind (Fe, Al, Mg) followed by contamination caused by anthropogenic activities, specially vehicular transportation. 1EU5nE5v5Bir-oI5n2m7657ental Bioindicators, Vol. 1, No. 1, Feb 2008: pp. 0–0