Atmospheric deposition of trace elements in Greece using moss Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. as biomonitors

• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-019-06535-4
• Publication Date: 2019-05-08T19:38:03Z
• Authors: Chrysoula Betsou; Evdoxia Tsakiri; Nerantzis Kazakis; Atanas Vasilev; Marina Frontasyeva; Alexandra Ioannidou
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Mosses have been used for monitoring trace elements airborne pollution due to their ability to accumulate elements directly from wet and dry deposition. During the 2015/2016 European moss survey, ninety-five samples of Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. were collected in Northern Greece. Mosses were analyzed to the content of Neutron Activation Analysis and the concentrations of thirty-three elements were determined. The contamination factors for the following elements Al, As, V, Ni, Fe, Cr, Zn were calculated. Information about air quality was provided through the study of atmospheric deposition of trace elements in mosses in the vicinity of Northern Greece.