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Air quality in post-mining towns: tracking potentially toxic elements using tree leaves
Fabrizio Monaci1, Stefania Ancora2, Luca Paoli3
1Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, Siena, Italy. fabrizio.monaci@unisi.it.
Environmental Geochemistry and Health
|March 26, 2022
Summary
Holm oak leaves revealed low levels of lead, copper, and cadmium in Mt. Amiata towns, indicating minimal traffic pollution. Localized mercury contamination was linked to mining, highlighting specific environmental risks for residents.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Biomonitoring
Background:
- Mt. Amiata, Italy, has a history of mining and geothermal energy exploitation, raising concerns about potentially toxic elements (PTEs).
- Evergreen holm oak (Quercus ilex) leaves can serve as bioindicators for assessing airborne contamination.
- Understanding PTE accumulation in leaves is crucial for evaluating human exposure and ecological risks in urbanized areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess airborne contamination of PTEs in five towns near Mt. Amiata using Quercus ilex leaves.
- To evaluate the adsorption and retention of PTEs by leaves of different ages (washed and unwashed).
- To determine the nutritional status of urban trees and assess potential air pollution-induced stress.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of PTE composition (Pb, Cu, Cd, Al, Ba, Hg, Sb) in washed and unwashed Quercus ilex leaves of varying ages (6, 12, 24 months).
- Determination of major elements (C, N, S, P) to assess foliar nutritional status.
- Covariance analysis to differentiate between atmospheric inputs and leaf surface deposition.
Main Results:
- Overall concentrations of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and cadmium (Cd) were low, suggesting minimal contribution from vehicular traffic.
- Specific elemental profiles (Al, Ba, Hg, Sb) enriched in unwashed leaves indicated contributions from local geochemistry and diffuse/point sources.
- Mercury (Hg) contamination was highly localized near an abandoned mining area, linked to geothermal power plants and urban activities.
Conclusions:
- Quercus ilex leaves effectively indicate PTE sources, distinguishing traffic-related from industrial/geochemical origins.
- The study provides quantitative data on PTEs impacting the resident population, useful for risk assessment.
- Findings support targeted air quality monitoring and inform human health and ecological risk management strategies in the Mt. Amiata region.
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