Active biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution using Rosa rugosa plants

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 149; no. 2; pp. 239 - 245
• Main Authors: Calzoni, Gian Lorenzo, Antognoni, Fabiana, Pari, Elena, Fonti, Paolo, Gnes, Antonio, Speranza, Anna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agriculture; Applied sciences; bioaccumulation; Biological monitoring; Cadmium - analysis; Cadmium - toxicity; chromium; Chromium - analysis; Chromium - toxicity; Cities; cytoplasm; environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Global environmental pollution; heavy metals; indicator species; Italy; lead; Lead - analysis; Lead - toxicity; leaves; Mercury - analysis; Mercury - toxicity; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Nickel - analysis; Nickel - toxicity; perennials; Plant Leaves - chemistry; plasma membrane; Pollen; Pollen quality; Pollution; prediction; Rosa - chemistry; Rosa rugosa; Rugosa; rural areas; seed germination; shrubs; Soil - analysis; soil pollution; Trace elements; traffic; Vehicle Emissions; Italy; Europe; Trace elements; Pollen quality; Rosa rugosa; Biological monitoring; Rosaceae; Biological indicator; Plant leaf; Heavy metal; Concentration measurement; Soils; Pollution; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Active detection; Rural area; Environment; Spermatophyta; Pollen; Performance
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.12.023

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. Rosa rugosa leaves and pollen are – to different extents – suitable monitoring tools for heavy metal pollution.