title: Heavy metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in Quercus ilex L. leaves fit an a priori subdivision in site typologies based on human management.
abstract: Concentrations of four heavy metals (HMs) (Cd, Cr, Fe, Pb) and four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (fluoranthene, phenanthrene, chrysene, benzo[a]pyrene) in Quercus ilex L. leaves collected at the Campania Region (Southern Italy) in previous air biomonitoring studies were employed to (1) test the correspondence with an a priori site subdivision (remote, periurban, and urban) and (2) evaluate long temporal trends of HM (approximately 20 years) and PAH (approximately 10 years) air contaminations. Overall, Q. ilex leaf HM and PAH concentrations resulted along the gradient: remote < periurban < urban sites, reflecting the a priori subdivision based on human management. Over a long time, although a clear decrease of leaf Pb, chrysene, fluoranthene, and phenanthrene concentrations occurred at the urban sites, a high contamination level persists.
authors.affiliation: Dip. Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli Studi del Sannio, via Port'Arsa 11, 82100, Benevento, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Nicola
authors.affiliation: Dip. Chimica e Biologia "Adolfo Zambelli", Università degli Studi di Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy. dbaldantoni@unisa.it.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baldantoni
authors.affiliation: Dip. Biologia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maisto
authors.affiliation: Dip. Chimica e Biologia "Adolfo Zambelli", Università degli Studi di Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alfani
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007558:Italy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D029963:Quercus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: Air contamination gradients; Campania Region (Southern Italy); Holm oak; Inorganic and organic pollutants; Long-term biomonitoring