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Khodabakhshloo N, Abbasi S, Oleszczuk P, Turner A. Biomonitoring of airborne microplastics and microrubbers in Shiraz, Iran, using lichens and moss. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:244. [PMID: 38851657 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-01977-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
HIGHLIGHTS Microplastics (MPs) and microrubbers (MRs) determined in lichens and mosses around Shiraz. In lichens, MPs mainly thin fibres up to 1 MP g-1; MRs were < 0.1 MP g-1. In mosses, abundances were similar but with a greater fraction of larger, non-fibrous particles. Larger MPs and MRs decreased in abundance with distance and elevation from Shiraz. Around Shiraz, the common moss, Grimmia critina, would be the most suitable biomonitor. Lichens and mosses have been employed as biomonitors of atmospheric particulate pollutants, like metals and industrial solids, for many decades. Here, we evaluated the potential of nine species of crustose and foliose lichens and a widely distributed moss (Grimmia critina) to act as biomonitors of airborne microplastics (MPs) and microrubbers (MRs). About 200 lichens and 40 mosses were sampled across different altitudinal transects in the vicinity of Shiraz City, southwest Iran, and MPs and MRs were quantified and characterised after sample peroxidation. In most species of lichen, MP and MR abundance overall was < 1 g-1 and < 0.1 g-1, respectively, and the majority of plastics were fibres of < 10 µm in diameter and < 1000 µm in length. Respective weight normalised abundances of MPs and MRs were similar in G. critina, but there were greater proportions of both larger (> 1000 µm) and non-fibrous particles among the MPs. In both lichens and moss, there was a greater number of larger MPs and MRs at locations closest to and at the same elevation as Shiraz than at more distant and elevated locations, suggesting an inverse relationship between particle size and distance travelled. Among the lichens, members of the genus Acarospora, with their areolated form, appeared to act as the most suitable biomonitors for MPs and MRs. Overall, however, the wide distribution of the moss, G. crinita, and its ability to intercept and accumulate a broader range of sizes and shapes of MPs and MRs make this species a better choice, at least in the type of environment studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafiseh Khodabakhshloo
- Centre for Environmental Studies and Emerging Pollutants (ZISTANO), Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sajjad Abbasi
- Department of Earth Sciences, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, 71454, Iran.
- Centre for Environmental Studies and Emerging Pollutants (ZISTANO), Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Patryk Oleszczuk
- Department of Radiochemistry and Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031, Lublin, Poland
| | - Andrew Turner
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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Jafarova M, Grifoni L, Renzi M, Bentivoglio T, Anselmi S, Winkler A, Di Lella LA, Spagnuolo L, Aherne J, Loppi S. Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Black Locust) Leaflets as Biomonitors of Airborne Microplastics. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1456. [PMID: 38132282 PMCID: PMC10740701 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Here we investigate the suitability of Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust) leaflets as a novel biomonitor of airborne microplastics (MPs) including tyre wear particles (TWPs). Leaflets were collected from rural roadside locations (ROs, n = 5) and urban parks (UPs, n = 5) in Siena, Italy. MPs were removed by washing, identified by stereomicroscope, and analysed for polymer type by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Daily MP deposition was estimated from leaf area. The mass magnetic susceptibility and the bioaccumulation of traffic-related potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were also analysed. The total number of MPs at ROs was significantly higher at 2962, dominated by TWPs, compared with 193 in UPs, where TWPs were not found. In contrast, total microfibres were significantly higher in UPs compared with ROs (185 vs. 86). Daily MP deposition was estimated to range from 4.2 to 5.1 MPs/m2/d across UPs and 29.9-457.6 MPs/m2/d across ROs. The polymer types at ROs were dominated by rubber (80%) from TWPs, followed by 15% polyamide (PA) and 5% polysulfone (PES), while in UPs the proportion of PES (44%) was higher than PA (22%) and polyacrylonitrile (11%). The mean mass magnetic susceptibility, a proxy of the bioaccumulation of traffic-related metallic particles, was higher at ROs (0.62 ± 0.01 10-8 m3/kg) than at UPs (-0.50 ± 0.03 10-8 m3/kg). The content of PTEs was similar across sites, except for significantly higher concentrations of Sb, a tracer of vehicle brake wear, at ROs (0.308 ± 0.008 µg/g) compared with UPs (0.054 ± 0.006 µg/g). Our results suggest that the waxy leaflets and easy determination of surface area make Robinia an effective biomonitor for airborne MPs including TWPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehriban Jafarova
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.J.); (L.G.); (L.A.D.L.); (S.L.)
| | - Lisa Grifoni
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.J.); (L.G.); (L.A.D.L.); (S.L.)
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, 00143 Rome, Italy; (A.W.); (L.S.)
| | - Monia Renzi
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri, 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Tecla Bentivoglio
- Bioscience Research Center, Via Aurelia Vecchia, 32, 58015 Orbetello, Italy; (T.B.); (S.A.)
| | - Serena Anselmi
- Bioscience Research Center, Via Aurelia Vecchia, 32, 58015 Orbetello, Italy; (T.B.); (S.A.)
| | - Aldo Winkler
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, 00143 Rome, Italy; (A.W.); (L.S.)
| | - Luigi Antonello Di Lella
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.J.); (L.G.); (L.A.D.L.); (S.L.)
| | - Lilla Spagnuolo
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, 00143 Rome, Italy; (A.W.); (L.S.)
| | - Julian Aherne
- School of Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Stefano Loppi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.J.); (L.G.); (L.A.D.L.); (S.L.)
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Capozzi F, Sorrentino MC, Granata A, Vergara A, Alberico M, Rossi M, Spagnuolo V, Giordano S. Optimizing Moss and Lichen Transplants as Biomonitors of Airborne Anthropogenic Microfibers. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1278. [PMID: 37886988 PMCID: PMC10604676 DOI: 10.3390/biology12101278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic microfibers (mfs) are synthetic particles composed of cellulose (cotton, rayon, acetate, etc.) or petrochemical-based polymers (i.e., microplastics-MPs) that are less than 5 mm in length. The accumulation of mfs, including MPs, in the moss Hypnum cupressiforme and the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea was compared in a transplant experiment lasting 6 weeks. We also tested the effects of the bag used for transplants on the accumulation of mfs. Anthropogenic particles trapped by both biomonitors were mostly filamentous (99% mfs), and their number was overall higher in the moss (mean ± s.d. 102 ± 24) than in the lichen (mean ± s.d. 87 ± 17), at parity of sample weight. On average, mfs found in lichen were significantly longer than those found in moss bags, suggesting that lichens are less efficient at retaining smaller mfs. Exposure without the net yielded a higher mfs number accumulation in both species, indicating that "naked" transplants provide greater sensitivity. The calculation of daily fluxes evidenced a loss of mfs in the lichen, suggesting the presence of more stable bonds between moss and mfs. Raman microspectroscopy carried out on about 100 debris confirms the anthropogenic nature of mfs, of which 20% were MPs. Overall results indicate that moss is preferable to lichen in the biomonitoring of airborne mfs especially when exposed naked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiore Capozzi
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (F.C.); (M.C.S.); (A.G.); (S.G.)
| | - Maria Cristina Sorrentino
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (F.C.); (M.C.S.); (A.G.); (S.G.)
| | - Angelo Granata
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (F.C.); (M.C.S.); (A.G.); (S.G.)
| | - Alessandro Vergara
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoles, Italy; (A.V.); (M.A.)
| | - Miriam Alberico
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoles, Italy; (A.V.); (M.A.)
- Department of Classics, University La Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Rossi
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Valeria Spagnuolo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (F.C.); (M.C.S.); (A.G.); (S.G.)
| | - Simonetta Giordano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (F.C.); (M.C.S.); (A.G.); (S.G.)
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Qarri F, Kika A, Bekteshi L, Kane S, Allajbeu S, Lazo P. Are Mosses Used in Atmospheric Trace Metal Deposition Surveys Impacted by Their Substrate Soils? A National Study in Albania. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2023; 84:400-412. [PMID: 37020065 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-023-00988-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
This research used moss biomonitoring to assess the atmospheric deposition of selected trace metals across the whole territory of Albania, a country of diverse lithology, and topography. Here, we assess three elements (Cr, Ni, and Co) that were identified in high concentrations compared to values reported by European moss surveys of 2010 and 2015. The possibility of element uptake by moss from substrate soils was assessed by analyzing moss and topsoil samples from the same areas. For this purpose, moss (Hypnum cupressiforme (Hedw.)) and topsoil samples were collected throughout Albania. Higher concentrations of elements in moss were found in areas of very high element content in soil characterized by no/or thin humus layer and sparse vegetation that stimulates soil dust generation. To compensate for the natural variation of the elements and to show their anthropogenic variation, geochemical normalization was conducted as the ratio of Co, Cr, and Ni concentration data to be concentration. Associations between elements in moss and soil samples, investigated by Spearman-Rho correlation analysis, indicated strong and significant correlations (r > 0.81, p = 0.000) between elements' data in moss or soil, and weak or no correlations (r < 0.4, p > 0.05) between the same data of moss and soil. Factor analysis revealed two main factors that selectively affect the elements in moss and top soil samples. Findings from this research suggested negligible interactions between moss and substrate soils, with the exception of soils with high concentrations of elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Qarri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Vlora, Vlorë, Albania
| | - Alda Kika
- Department of Computer Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Lirim Bekteshi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Elbasan, Elbasan, Albania
| | - Sonila Kane
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Shaniko Allajbeu
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Pranvera Lazo
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania.
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