Monitoring of Airborne Mercury: Comparison of Different Techniques in the Monte Amiata District, Southern Tuscany, Italy

Valentina Rimondi, Renato Benesperi, Marc W. Beutel, Laura Chiarantini, Pilario Costagliola, Pierfranco Lattanzi, Daniela Medas and Guia Morelli
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Valentina Rimondi: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Renato Benesperi: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Marc W. Beutel: University of California, Merced, 5200 Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA
Laura Chiarantini: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Pilario Costagliola: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Pierfranco Lattanzi: CNR-IGG, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Daniela Medas: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 bivio per Sestu, 09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
Guia Morelli: CNR-IGG, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-10

Abstract: In the present study, mercury (Hg) concentrations were investigated in lichens ( Flavoparmelia caperata (L.) Hale, Parmelia saxatilis (L.) Ach., and Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th.Fr.) collected in the surrounding of the dismissed Abbadia San Salvatore Hg mine (Monte Amiata district, Italy). Results were integrated with Hg concentrations in tree barks and literature data of gaseous Hg levels determined by passive air samplers (PASs) in the same area. The ultimate goal was to compare results obtained by the three monitoring techniques to evaluate potential mismatches. Lichens displayed 180–3600 ng/g Hg, and Hg concentrations decreased exponentially with distance from the mine. Mercury concentration was lower than in Pinus nigra barks at the same site. There was a moderate correlation between Hg in lichen and Hg in bark, suggesting similar mechanisms of Hg uptake and residence times. However, correlation with published gaseous Hg concentrations (PASs) was moderate at best (Kendall Tau = 0.4–0.5, p > 0.05). The differences occurred because a) PASs collected gaseous Hg, whereas lichens and barks also picked up particulate Hg, and b) lichens and bark had a dynamic exchange with the atmosphere. Lichen, bark, and PAS outline different and complementary aspects of airborne Hg content and efficient monitoring programs in contaminated areas would benefit from the integration of data from different techniques.

Keywords: biomonitoring; airborne pollutants; particulate Hg; lichens; tree barks; passive air samplers; mining area (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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