Native plant species suitable as bioindicators and biomonitors for airborne fluoride

Abstract

For 30-40 years airborne fluoride, usually in the form of HF or SiF4, was one of the most important and damaging air pollutants affecting forests, crops and natural vegetation. It is much more toxic than most other air pollutants such as O3 or SO2 because injury to the most sensitive species begins when they are exposed to a concentration below 1 ppb (ca. 0.8 microg m(-3)) for a 1- to 3-day period. The long-term threshold concentration is around 0.25-0.30 microg m(-3). Higher concentrations and longer durations of exposure induce much more rapid and extensive injury. However, there is a difference in sensitivity between the most and least sensitive species of around 2-3 orders of magnitude and most species possess a degree of resistance. Dramatic improvements in engineering technology have greatly reduced emissions but because of the high toxicity, cases of vegetation injury are still common, even in developed countries, and cases involving litigation still occur. Therefore there is a continuing need for bioindicators and biomonitoring of fluorides, so this paper reviews the subject, drawing attention to the strengths and limitations of the techniques. Visible symptoms are described and illustrated and tables of relative sensitivity are given and their limitations discussed. Finally, examples of biomonitoring in Europe and the USA are presented.