Assessment of Atmospheric Heavy Metals by Moss Monitoring with Isothecium Stoloniferum Brid. in the Fraser Valley, B.C., Canada

Pott, Ute; Turpin, David H.

Assessment of Atmospheric Heavy Metals by Moss Monitoring with Isothecium Stoloniferum Brid. in the Fraser Valley, B.C., Canada

1998

Pott, Ute | Turpin, David H.

The atmospheric heavy metal pollution of the Fraser Valley, B.C., Canada was assessed in 1993 by analyzing 62 samples of the common woodland moss Isothecium stoloniferum for lead, cadmium, nickel, zinc, chromium, and manganese. The latter two metals did not show a distinct regional distribution, but lead, cadmium, nickel, and zinc showed distinct pattern along a west-east gradient. High values were found in the metropolitan Vancouver area, located in the west of the study region. Significantly lower values were recorded for mosses from the eastern more rural areas of the Fraser Valley. Metal pollutants are likely to be contained close to their emission sources by alternating south-east, north-west winds. Highest values overall were found in the North Shore Mountains, adjacent to Vancouver. This was related to higher precipitation and short range pollutant transport from the industrialized, heavily populated areas in the floodplain of the Fraser River.

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