Assessment of atmospheric pollution in the vicinity of a tin and lead industry using lichen species Canoparmelia texana.
This paper examines the viability of using Canoparmelia texana lichen species as a bioindicator of air pollution by radionuclides and rare earth elements (REEs) in the vicinity of a tin and lead industry. The lichen and soil samples were analyzed for uranium, thorium and REEs by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The radionuclides (226)Ra, (228)Ra and (210)Pb were determined either by Gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS) (soils) or by radiochemical separation followed by gross alpha and beta counting using a gas flow proportional counter (lichens). The lichens samples concentrate radionuclides (on the average 25-fold higher than the background for this species) and REEs (on the average 10-fold higher), therefore they can be used as a fingerprint of contamination by the operation of the tin industry.
Leonardo
Lucio
L
Laboratório de Radiometria Ambiental, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, São Paulo, Brazil. lucioleo@ipen.br
Mazzilli
Barbara Paci
BP
Damatto
Sandra Regina
SR
Saiki
Mitiko
M
Barros de Oliveira
Sonia Maria
SM
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D001938:Brazil; D004603:Elements, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D008011:Lichens / Q000737:chemistry*; D008669:Metallurgy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D004603:Elements, Radioactive; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth; D012987:Soil; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive