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. 2021 Jun;28(21):27392-27397.
doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-12620-7. Epub 2021 Jan 28.

Modeling heavy metal release in the epiphytic lichen Evernia prunastri

Andrea Vannini  1 , Luca Paoli  2 , Riccardo Fedeli  1 , Sharon Kwambai Kangogo  1 , Massimo Guarnieri  1 , Stefania Ancora  3 , Fabrizio Monaci  1 , Stefano Loppi  4
Affiliations

Modeling heavy metal release in the epiphytic lichen Evernia prunastri

Andrea Vannini et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

In this study, the release of Cu2+ and Zn2+ was investigated and modeled in the epiphytic lichen Evernia prunastri. Samples were incubated with solutions containing these metals at ecologically relevant concentrations (10 and 100 μM) and then transplanted to a remote area and retrieved after 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. The results showed that, after 12 months, all samples faced similar metal reductions of ca. 80-85%, but after this period, all the involved processes seem to be no longer capable of generating further reductions. These results suggest that the lichen E. prunastri can provide information about environmental improvements after exposure to high or very high pollution levels in a relatively short period of time.

Keywords: Air pollution; Bioaccumulation; Biomonitoring; Cu; Environmental recovery; Zn.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Accumulation values (EC ratio) (mean ± SE) in samples of E. prunastri treated with Cu 10 μM (a), Cu 100 μM (b), Zn 10 μM (c), Zn 100 μM (d), and transplanted in a clean environment for 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. The asterisk indicates statistically significant differences between treated and control samples (p < 0.05). Different letters indicate statistically significant differences between EC values across time (p < 0.05)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Exponential and power regressions of accumulation values (average of the EC ratio) across time in samples of E. prunastri treated with Cu 10 μM (a), Cu 100 μM (b), Zn 10 μM (c), Zn 100 μM (d), and transplanted in a clean environment for 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. The gray area indicates 95% confidence interval
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Release rates (EC month−1) in samples of E. prunastri treated with Cu 10 μM (a), Cu 100 μM (b), Zn 10 μM (c), Zn 100 μM (d) after their transplantation in a clean environment for 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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