title: Role of sooty mold fungi in accumulation of fine-particle-associated PAHs and metals on deciduous leaves.
abstract: The focus of this research was on elucidation of the role of deciduous tree ecosystems in accumulation of fine-particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals on leaves of deciduous trees. The studied species were Tilia x euchlora (frequently infested by sooty mold fungi) and Pyrus calleryana (unaffected by sooty mold fungi). The selected species have similar leaf morphology and were exposed to identical environmental conditions. Intra-species comparison showed that moldy linden leaves accumulate significantly higher amounts of PAHs and metals than unaffected linden leaves. Inter-species comparison revealed that in the absence of sooty mold fungi, physico-chemical properties of epicuticular waxes, rather than the amounts of waxes, might play an important role in accumulation of particulate matter on leaves. The accumulation and/or degradation of a number of high-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs on leaves was temperature dependent. The results show that the presence of sooty mold fungi on deciduous leaves alters either the accumulation modes and/or degradation pathways of PAHs on deciduous leaves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Sciences, Kutztown University, 316 Boehm Science Center, Kutztown, PA 19530, USA. jouraeva@kutztown.edu
authors.forename: Venera A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Jouraeva
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hassett
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Natalia A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Shipunova
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barbarossa
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000502:physiology*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D031989:Pyrus / Q000382:microbiology; D013696:Temperature; D032384:Tilia / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons