Heavy metals in moss samples exposed to the atmospheric dust after eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano

• Authors: Patryk Ochota , Adam Prokopowicz , Leon Kośmider , Małgorzata Choina , Adam Stebel , Andrzej Sobczak

Title variants

PL

Zawartości metali ciężkich w mchach narażonych na działanie pyłu atmosferycznego po erupcji wulkanu Eyjafjallajökull

• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Background: Volcanic ash, which is ejected during
volcanic eruptions, flies in the air and spreads by the
wind over large distances. It is a magmatic source and
as such may contain heavy metals. The aim of the study
was to carry out investigation on heavy metal content:
Pb, Cd, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and Cr in samples of moss bags
exposed to atmospheric dust containing volcanic ash
in Sosnowiec (Poland) after eruption of Eyjafjallajökull
volcano in Iceland.
Materials and methods: Samples have been exposed
to atmospheric dust after volcanic eruption for 2
months, and were mineralised in 70% HNO3 and 30%
H2O2. The content of Pb and Cd was analysed by atomic
absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization
(ETAAS) and Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr by atomic
absorption spectrometry with flame atomization
(FAAS).
Results: During the experiment the content of lead
in samples of moss increased by 54,9 μg/g, cadmium
by 3,41 μg/g, manganese by 150 μg/g, iron by 6,09
mg/g, zinc by 514 μg/g, copper by 20,77 μg/g and
chromium by 6,99 μg/g.
Conclusions: In Sosnowiec the comparable increase
of metal content was from several to 41 times higher
than in the areas not exposed to volcanic ash. It indicates
that volcanic ash can be a potential source of
heavy metals in the environment and, consequently,
affect our health.

PL

Wstęp: Pył atmosferyczny, który jest wyrzucany podczas
erupcji wulkanów, długo unosi się w powietrzu
i rozprzestrzenia na duże odległości przy udziale wiatru.
Jest pochodzenia magmowego, więc może zawierać
metale ciężkie. Celem pracy było zbadanie zawartości
metali ciężkich: Pb, Cd, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu i Cr w próbkach mchu narażonych na działanie pyłu wulkanicznego opadającego
na ziemię.
Materiał i metody: Mchy były wystawione na działanie
pyłu atmosferycznego po erupcji wulkanu przez
}2 miesiące. Próby były mineralizowane kwasem azotowym
i nadtlenkiem wodoru. Zawartość Pb i Cd oznaczono
za pomocą absorpcyjnej spektrometrii atomowej
z elektrotermiczną atomizacją, a Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu i Cr
za pomocą absorpcyjnej spektrometrii atomowej z atomizacją
w płomieniu.
Wyniki badań: Podczas przeprowadzenia doświadczenia
zawartość ołowiu w mchach zwiększyła się
o 54,9 μg/g, Cd o 3,41 μg/g, Mn o 150 μg/g, Fe o 6,09
mg/g, Zn o 514 μg/g, Cu o 20,77 μg/g oraz Cr o 6,99
μg/g. Wnioski: W Sosnowcu stwierdzono od kilku do kilkudziestu
razy wyższe przyrosty zawartości oznaczanych
metali niż w porównywanych miejscach, co wskazuje,
iż pył wulkaniczny może być potencjalnym źródłem
metali ciężkich w środowisku, a w konsekwencji wpływać
na nasze zdrowie.

Keywords

EN

environmental monitoring; moss; trace metals; volcanic ash

• Publisher: Polish Society of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Journal: Medycyna Środowiskowa - Environmental Medicine
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 21-26

Contributors

author

Patryk Ochota

• Department of Chemical Hazards and Genetic Toxicology, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

author

Adam Prokopowicz

• Department of Chemical Hazards and Genetic Toxicology, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

author

Leon Kośmider

• Department of Chemical Hazards and Genetic Toxicology, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

author

Małgorzata Choina

• Graduate of Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology

author

Adam Stebel

• Department of Pharmaceutical Botany and Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy with Division of Medical Analytics, Medical University of Silesia

author

Andrzej Sobczak

• Department of Chemical Hazards and Genetic Toxicology, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health; Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy with Division of Medical Analytics, Medical University of Silesia

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• Document Type: paper