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Atmospheric Metal Biomonitoring Along a Highway Near Atlantic Rainforest Environmental Protection Areas in Southeastern Brazil
Author(s)
Beringui, Karmel
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
Maia, Luiz Francisco Pires Guimarães
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Gioda, Adriana
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
Date Issued
30 de abril de 2021
Type
Article
Publisher
Springer
Volume
107
Issue
1
Series/Report No.
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Contained in
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Start Page
84
End Page
91
ISSN
0007-4861
Abstract
Vehicles are quite possibly the main sources of particulate matter, and their emissions can cause damage to surrounding ecosystems. Traditional atmospheric monitoring, however, is expensive. Therefore, airborne biomonitoring is an alternative method that allows for air quality assessment. In this study, we evaluated air quality at a federal highway (BR-040) close to Atlantic Rainforest remnants by quantifying metals in biomonitor tissues by ICP-MS. Tillandsia usneoides and Tillandsia stricta plants were relocated to the investigation zone and collected after five months of exposure. Metal concentration profiles were evaluated using statistical analyses, namely exposure-to-reference (ER) ratios and enrichment factors (EF). Results indicate that V, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Sn enrichment were observed in all study sites. The EF for Cr, Mn, Pb, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Sn ranged from high to very high, indicating anthropogenic sources. Both species were effective atmospheric biomonitors, proving to be an important tool, mainly in areas where conventional monitoring is not possible.