The district of Strongoli Marina is an highly agriculture oriented area where arable, olive growing and viticulture are all practiced. The main road is the SS 106 located close to the coast while the only significant industrial activity is due to the biomass power plant managed by “Biomasse Italia” Society, one with the highest energy potential in Europe (360 GWh on a year ground). The levels of atmospheric trace elements were monitored by means thalli of the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf transplanted from a pristine area into 28 stations of the study area for 3 months. At the end of the exposure period the lichens were retrieved and analyzed for the concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Ti, V, Zn as well as the ecophysiological parameters: total peroxidation, dehydrogenase activity, pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, xanthophylls + carotenoids) and phaeophytization coefficient. Use of a univariate – multivariate approach detected clear spatial trends for both trace element contamination and physiological changes of P. furfuracea transplants. Biomass power plant, by means quantitative relationships with local winds, showed to contribute to atmospheric enrichment in Cu and Mn, variation of traffic intensity associated with that of concentrations of Sb and Sn, agricultural use of land did not correlate with any lichen parameters. Processes of both increase and decrease in pigment values compared to pre-exposure levels were detected at the end of transplantation. Spatial variation of total peroxidation amounts resulted in a sub area (15% of study area) with a mean value significantly higher than that of lichen origin area and was associated with biomass power plant (again by means quantitative relations with local winds) and spatial variation of copper concentrations. Such a result supports the hypothesis that biomass power plant contributes to local atmospheric contamination and biological stress of lichens.
Atmospheric trace element monitoring in to the district of Strongoli Marina (KR)
LUCADAMO, Lucio;Corapi A;Gallo L.
2017-01-01
Abstract
The district of Strongoli Marina is an highly agriculture oriented area where arable, olive growing and viticulture are all practiced. The main road is the SS 106 located close to the coast while the only significant industrial activity is due to the biomass power plant managed by “Biomasse Italia” Society, one with the highest energy potential in Europe (360 GWh on a year ground). The levels of atmospheric trace elements were monitored by means thalli of the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf transplanted from a pristine area into 28 stations of the study area for 3 months. At the end of the exposure period the lichens were retrieved and analyzed for the concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Ti, V, Zn as well as the ecophysiological parameters: total peroxidation, dehydrogenase activity, pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, xanthophylls + carotenoids) and phaeophytization coefficient. Use of a univariate – multivariate approach detected clear spatial trends for both trace element contamination and physiological changes of P. furfuracea transplants. Biomass power plant, by means quantitative relationships with local winds, showed to contribute to atmospheric enrichment in Cu and Mn, variation of traffic intensity associated with that of concentrations of Sb and Sn, agricultural use of land did not correlate with any lichen parameters. Processes of both increase and decrease in pigment values compared to pre-exposure levels were detected at the end of transplantation. Spatial variation of total peroxidation amounts resulted in a sub area (15% of study area) with a mean value significantly higher than that of lichen origin area and was associated with biomass power plant (again by means quantitative relations with local winds) and spatial variation of copper concentrations. Such a result supports the hypothesis that biomass power plant contributes to local atmospheric contamination and biological stress of lichens.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
