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. 2012 May;223(4):1829-1836.
doi: 10.1007/s11270-011-0987-2. Epub 2011 Oct 11.

Mechanisms for Translocation of Heavy Metals from Soil to Epigeal Mosses

Andrzej Kłos, Marcin Czora, Małgorzata Rajfur, Maria Wacławek

Mechanisms for Translocation of Heavy Metals from Soil to Epigeal Mosses

Andrzej Kłos et al. Water Air Soil Pollut. 2012 May.

Abstract

The mechanisms for translocation of heavy metals from soil to epigeal mosses were investigated. The first mechanism was demonstrated for (137)Cs and involved the uplifting of the pollutant-containing dust from the soil, followed by the local secondary deposition on surfaces of epigeal mosses and epiphytic lichens. The second mechanism involved the diffusion of metal cations from the soil through water wetting the moss into the gametophyte. The mechanism was demonstrated by measuring the electric conductance of wetted gametophytes with single ends immersed in solutions of Cu and Na salts. In addition, the concentrations of Cu and Cd were compared in moss samples exposed to the natural soil and to the soil contaminated with the metals. The exposition to the contaminated soil resulted in the statistically significant increase of metal concentrations in the gametophytes.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a, b Setups for the laboratory experiments
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The site for the field experiments
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Kinetics of 137Cs translocation from soil to mosses and lichens
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Changes in time of the relative electric conductance G/G 0 of a wetted gametophyte with one end immersed in aqueous solution of a CuSO4 and b NaCl
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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