A study on tree bark samples for atmospheric pollution monitoring

Eliane Conceição dos Santos; Vera Akiko Maihara; Frederico Antonio Genezine; Mitiko Saiki

doi:10.15392/bjrs.v9i1A.1293

Authors

Eliane Conceição dos Santos Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares
Vera Akiko Maihara Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares
Frederico Antonio Genezine Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares
Mitiko Saiki Instituto Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2197-3592

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v9i1A.1293

Keywords:

tree barks, biomonitoring, air pollution, chemical elements

Abstract

Tree barks are considered a promising indicator of air pollution monitoring, because of its accumulation of aerosol particles, simplicity of species identification and wide geographical distribution. However, there are no established protocols for its sampling as well as there are no detailed studies on its usability as an alternative or complementary indicator of atmospheric pollution. In this study, barks from very common tree species, Sibipiruna (Poincianella pluviosa) and Tipuana (Tipuana tipu), were analyzed to define experimental conditions for their use as biomonitor of air pollution. Bark samples collected at the São Paulo city were cleaned and ground for analysis. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied for the determination of As, Br, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Sb, Sc and Zn and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS) for Cd and Pb. Results obtained in these analyses indicated that species of trees, bark surface layers taken for analysis as well as tree trunk diameter or tree age should be considered for use tree bark as a biomonitor. Analytical control of results carried out by analyzing certified reference materials demonstrated that INAA and GF AAS techniques can provide reliable data for element concentrations with standardized differences, |En_score | < 1.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

COCOZZA, C.; RAVERA, S.; CHERUBINI, P.; LOMBARDI, F.; MARCHETTI, M.; TOGNETTI, R. Integrated biomonitoring of airborne pollutants over space and time using tree rings, bark, leaves and epiphytic lichens. Urban For Urban Gree, v. 17, p. 177-191, 2016.

CHRABASCZ, M.; MROZ, L. Tree bark, a valuable source of information on air quality. Pol J Environ Stud, v. 26, p. 453-466, 2017.

GUEGUEN, F.; STILLE, P.; GEAGEA, M. L.; BOUTIN, R. Atmospheric pollution in an urban environment by tree bark biomonitoring – Part I: Trace element. Chemosphere, v.86, p. 1013-1019, 2012.

ODABASI, M.; OZGUNERGE, F. E.; TUNA, G.; ALTIOK, H.; KARA, M.; DUMANOGLU, Y.; BAYRAM, A.; TOLUNAY, D.; ELBIR, T. Biomonitoring the spatial and historical variations of persistent organic pollutants (POPS) in industrial region. Environ Sci Technol, v. 49, p. 2105-2114, 2015.

GUEGUEN, F.; STILLE P.; MILLET, M. G. Air quality assessment by tree bark biomonitoring in urban, industrial and rural environments of the Rhine Valley: PCDD/Fs, PCBs and trace metal evidence. Chemosphere, v. 85, p. 195-202, 2011.

SCHULTZ, H.; POPP, P.; HUHN, G.; STARK, H. J.; SCHUURMANN, G. Biomonitoring of airborne inorganic and organic pollutants by means of pine tree barks I. Temporal and spatial variations. Sci Total Environ, v. 232, p. 49-58, 1999.

BELIVERMIS, M.; KILIC, O.; COTUK, Y.; TOPCUOGLU, S.; KALAYCI, G.; PESTRELI, D. The usability of tree barks as long term biomonitors of atmospheric radionuclide deposition. Appl Radiat Isot, v. 68, p. 2433-2437, 2010.

KILIC, O. Biomonitoring of 137Cs, 40K, 232Th and 238U using oak bark in Belgrade Forest, Istanbul, Turkey. Nucl Technol Radiat Prot, v. 27, p. 137-143, 2012.

PATRICK, G. J.; FARMER, J. G. A lead isotopic assessment of tree bark as a biomonitor of contemporary atmosphere lead. Sci Total Environ, v. 388, p. 343-356, 2007.

OLOWOY, J. O.; VAN HEERDEN, E.; FISCHER, J. L. Investigating Jacaranda mimosifolia tree as biomonitor of atmospheric trace metals. Environ Monit Assess, v. 164, p. 435-443, 2010.

POIKOLAINEN, J. Sulphur and heavy metal concentrations in Scots pine bark in Northern Finland and the Kola peninsula. WaterAir Soil Pollut, v. 93, p. 395-408, 1997.

BERLIZOV, A. N.; BLUM, O. B.; FILBY, R. H.; MALYUK, I. A.; TRYSHYN, V. V. Testing applicability of black poplar (Populusnigra L.) bark to heavy metal air pollution monitoring in urban and industrial regions. Sci Total Environ, v. 372, p. 693-706, 2007.

PACHECO, A. M. G.; BARROS, L. I. C.; FREITAS, M. C.; REIS, M. A.; HIPOLITO, C.; OLIVEIRA, O. R. An evaluation of olive-tree bark for the biological monitoring of airborne trace elements at ground level. Environ Pollut, v. 120, p. 79-86, 2002.

CUCU-MAN, S. M.; STEINNES, E. Analysis of selected biomonitors to evaluate the suitability of their complementary use in monitoring trace element atmospheric deposition. Environ Monit Assess, v. 185, p. 7775-7791, 2013.

SANTITORO, A.;APRILE, G. G.; BALDANTONI, D.; BARTOLI, G.; ALFANI, A. Trace element analyses in an epiphytic lichen and its bark substrate to assess suitability for air biomonitoring. Environ Monit Assess, v. 98, p. 59-67, 2004.

SUZUKI, K. Characteristics of airborne particulates and associated trace metals deposited on tree bark by ICP-OES, ICP-MS, SEM-EDX and laser ablation ICP-MS. Atmos Environ, v. 40, p. 2626-2634, 2006.

FAGG, A. M.; FUJIKAWA, F.; ANIDO, C.; PERELMAN, P. E. Use of tree bark for comparing environmental pollution in different sites from Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Environ Monit Assess, v. 178, p. 237-245, 2011.

PANICHEV, N.; MCCRINDLE, R. I. The application of bio-indicators for the assessment of air pollution. J Environ Monit, v. 6, p. 121-123, 2004.

DE SOETE, D.; GILBELS, R.; HOSTE, J. Neutron activation analysis, New York, USA: Wiley Interscience, 1972.

WELZ, B.; SPERLING, M. Atomic absorption spectrometry, Weinheim, Germany: Wiley-VCH, 1999.

DE BRUIN, M.; HACKENITZ, R. Trace element concentrations in epiphytic lichens and bark substrate. Environ Pollut, v. 11, p. 153-160 1986.

HARJU, L.; SAARELA, K-E.; RAJANDER, J.; LILL, L-O.; LINDROOS, A.; HESELIUS, S-J. Environmental monitoring of trace element in bark of Scots pine by thick-target PIXE. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B, v. 189, p.163-167, 2002.

SPANGENBERG, A.; HOFMANN, F.; KIRCHNER, M. Determining the agricultural ammonia emission using bark bio-monitoring: comparison with passive sampler measurements. J Environ Monit, v. 4, p. 865-869, 2002.

INCT - Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Mixed Polish Herbs (INCT-MPH-2), Certificate, Warszawa, Poland, 2002, 4p.

INCT - Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Polish Certified Reference Material Virginia Tobacco Leaves (CTA-VTL-2), Certificate, Warszawa, Poland, 1997, 4p.

KONIECZKA, P.; NAMIESNIK, J. Quality assurance and analytical control in the analytical laboratory: A practical approach, New York, USA: CRC Press, 2009.

CURRIE, L. A. Limits for qualitative detection and quantitative determination. Application to radiochemistry. Anal Chem, v. 40, p. 586-595, 1968.

CURRIE, L. A. International recommendations offered on analytical detection and quantifi-cation concepts and nomenclature. Anal Chim Acta, v. 391, p. 127-134, 1999.