title: Implementation of airborne trace element monitoring with devitalised transplants of Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw.: assessment of temporal trends and element contribution by vehicular traffic in Naples city.
abstract: A biomonitoring of airborne trace elements was performed in 2006 in Naples urban area through the exposure of devitalised Hypnum cupressiforme for 10 weeks at 4m height. In one street, the moss was exposed at different heights to assess vertical gradients of element concentrations. Results were compared with those of a 1999 biosurvey. Correlations among Al, Fe and Ti suggested a soil particles contribution to element uptake. Cu, Mo and Fe were related with traffic flows. Long-range transport contributed to Cd, Cu and Mo accumulation in moss at higher heights. As in 1999, the airborne element load was higher in coastal sites, more affected by marine aerosols and traffic. In all sites, contents of Cd, Fe, Pb, Ni and V in moss were remarkably lower than in 1999, indicating a positive effect of actions set up in recent years to reduce the traffic and to improve the city air quality.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta, dell'Ambiente e delle Produzioni Animali, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy. paola.adamo@unina.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bargagli
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001336:Automobiles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019068:Bryopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007558:Italy; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements; D001335:Vehicle Emissions