The use of tropical bromeliads (Tillandsia spp.) for monitoring

 

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Brighigna, Luigi, Papini, Alessio, Mosti, Stefano, Cornia, Andrea, Bocchini, Paola, Galletti, Guido
Formato: artículo original
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de Publicación:2002
Descripción:The results of an experiment with two species of epiphytic angiosperms (Tillandsia caput-medusae and T. bulbosa) for monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the air of Florence, Italy, are presented. PAHs are compounds known to be dangerous because of their carcinogenic potential, and among cormophytes, tillands (monocotyledons equipped with peculiar, specialised, epidermal trichomes) are considered promising for air pollution biomonitoring. PAHs data were obtained using GC/MS analysis of plant extracts. Analytical data indicated an increasing trend in time of PAHs bioaccumulation. This result was compared with instrumentally recorded parameters such as meteorological (rain) and environmental ones (PM10), indicating that trichome-operated physical capture of aerial particles was prominent in PAHs bioaccumulation on tillands. SEM (scanning electron microscope) observations confirmed the role of the trichomes. This work indicates that tillands are particularly useful, low-cost, biomonitoring organisms inside their area of distribution (all Latin American countries and southern USA) where these plants are easily available, but also wherever the climate allows them to survive.
País:Portal de Revistas UCR
Institución:Universidad de Costa Rica
Repositorio:Portal de Revistas UCR
Lenguaje:Inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:portal.ucr.ac.cr:article/16456
Acceso en línea:https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/16456
Palabra clave:atmospheric pollution
biomonitoring
GC/MS analysis
PAH
tillandsia