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Characterization of atmospheric emission sources in lichen from metal and organic contaminant patterns

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Abstract

Lichen samples from contrasted environments, influenced by various anthropic activities, were investigated focusing on the contaminant signatures according to the atmospheric exposure typologies. Most of the contaminant concentrations measured in the 27 lichen samples, collected around the industrial harbor of Fos-sur-Mer (France), were moderate in rural and urban environments, and reached extreme levels in industrial areas and neighboring cities (Al up to 6567 mg kg−1, Fe 42,398 mg kg−1, or ΣPAH 1417 μg kg−1 for example). At the same time, a strong heterogeneity was noticed in industrial samples while urban and rural ones were relatively homogeneous. Several metals could be associated to steel industry (Fe, Mn, Cd), road traffic, and agriculture (Sb, Cu, Sn), or to a distinct chemical installation (Mo). As well, PCDFs dominated in industrial samples while PCDDs prevailed in urban areas. The particularities observed supported the purpose of this work and discriminated the contributions of various atmospheric pollution emission sources in lichen samples. A statistical approach based on principal component analysis (PCA) was applied and resolved these potential singularities into specific component factors. Even if a certain degree of mixing of the factors is pointed out, relevant relationships were observed with several atmospheric emission sources. By this methodology, the contribution of industrial emissions to the atmospheric metal, PAH, PCB, and PCDD/F levels was roughly estimated to be 60.2%, before biomass burning (10.2%) and road traffic (3.8%). These results demonstrate that lichen biomonitoring offers an encouraging perspective of spatially resolved source apportionment studies.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are particularly thankful to Y. Agnan for technical support. Acknowledgements are also addressed to “La Drôme Laboratoire” for detailed results and analytical protocol regarding PCDD/F analyses, Météo-France for meteorological data through the agreement N° DIRSE/REC/16/02/0, and the Vigueirat natural reserve and harbor authorities and local collectivities for authorizing sampling sites in restricted areas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Ecocitoyen pour la Connaissance des Pollutions, 13270, Fos-sur-Mer, France

    Aude Ratier, Julien Dron, Gautier Revenko, Annabelle Austruy & Charles-Enzo Dauphin

  2. Irstea, UR MALY, Centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, 5 avenue de la Doua—CS20244, 69625, Villeurbanne Cedex, France

    Aude Ratier

  3. Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Prévention des risques et Nuisances Technologiques, IMBE, UMR 7263 CNRS/IRD/Aix Marseille Université/Avignon Université, Marseille, France

    Florence Chaspoul

  4. Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique, IMBE UMR 7263 CNRS/IRD237—UMR 1062 INSERM/INRA1260/NORT: Nutrition, Obésité et Risques Thrombotique—UMR 910 Génétique, Aix-Marseille Université/Université d’Avignon, Marseille, France

    Emmanuel Wafo

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  1. Aude Ratier
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  2. Julien Dron
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  3. Gautier Revenko
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Correspondence to Julien Dron.

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Ratier, A., Dron, J., Revenko, G. et al. Characterization of atmospheric emission sources in lichen from metal and organic contaminant patterns. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 8364–8376 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-1173-x

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