title: Active biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution using Rosa rugosa plants.
abstract: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the quality of a rural area near Faenza (Italy) by using an active biomonitoring approach, i.e., by placing homogeneous individuals of the perennial shrub Rosa rugosa in different sites throughout the area. Further sites, within the city or its environs, were used for comparison. Soil and leaves of R. rugosa were analyzed for their heavy metal content. The total heavy metal pattern of leaves closely paralleled the pattern registered in soil, with the highest content (both in total and assimilable forms) at the site in the urban area, which is exposed to heavy traffic. Pollen quality (abortiveness and viability) was also tested as a potential indicator of pollution. Pollen abortiveness was strictly related to Pb levels in leaves, while viability was inversely related to leaf Cr content. Our results suggest that R. rugosa has the potential to be a good biomonitoring system.
authors.affiliation: Dip. Biologia, Università di Bologna, via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy. gianlorenzo.calzoni@unibo.it
authors.forename: Gian Lorenzo
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Calzoni
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antognoni
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pari
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fonti
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gnes
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Speranza
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D011058:Pollen; D027826:Rosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002104:Cadmium; D002857:Chromium; D007854:Lead; D009532:Nickel; D008628:Mercury