Ligustrum lucidum Ait. f. leaves as a bioindicator of the air-quality in a Mediterranean city.
The concentration of 11 elements, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and V, have been determined in leaves of Ligistrum lucidum Ait. f. growing in Palermo, by simultaneous inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A total of 72 samples from six different sites were investigated to deduce the bioindicator ability of this species. Differences were found in the element concentrations in the leaves from the different sites and, in general, anthropogenic pollutant patterns match traffic levels. This paper describes and discusses the spatio-variations of the different elements. Cluster analyses established three different groups giving an idea about the origins of the elements. Results demonstrate that this species is useful as a bioindicator in a Mediterranean climate, especially as it has the added advantage of being an evergreen tree.
Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Avenida Reina Mercedes s/n-Apartado de Correo 1096, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain. bisabina@libero.it
S Rossini
SR
Oliva
B
B
Valdés
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007558:Italy; D031659:Ligustrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D012015:Reference Standards
D000393:Air Pollutants