Non-linear relationships between climate and toxic metals in stressed polluted areas

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecotoxicology
• Climate Change Research

Background:

• Human activities and climate change increasingly stress environmental systems.
• Interactions between climate conditions, pollution, and their environmental impacts are understudied.
• A highly polluted Romanian site was selected to investigate these interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of climate fluctuations on metal concentrations and bioavailability in various environmental matrices.
• To understand the relationship between climate variables and metal behavior in both abiotic and biotic components.
• To provide insights for developing mitigation strategies against combined environmental stressors.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 40 environmental media (abiotic and biotic) over three years (2019-2021).
• Characterization of climate conditions, including heatwaves and cool-wet periods.
• Quantification of metal concentrations (Zn, Ni, Cd, Hg, Pb, Al, Fe, Li, Ce, As) and assessment of bioavailability and bioaccumulation factors.

Main Results:

• Elevated concentrations of Cd, Hg, and Pb found in soil and sediments; high Pb and Al in trees.
• Mushrooms exhibited high enrichment factors for toxic metals (Cd, Hg, As).
• Bioaccumulation of Hg, Pb, and Cd in biotic matrices increased in 2020 and continued in 2021.
• Extreme temperatures showed non-linear relationships with metals in abiotic matrices; biotic matrices were more influenced by year, species, and organ, with minor precipitation interactions.

Conclusions:

• Climate fluctuations have differential impacts on metal behavior across abiotic and biotic matrices.
• Fungi and herbaceous plants exhibit different adaptation and bioaccumulation capacities compared to trees.
• Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for developing effective environmental management and adaptation strategies.