Bio-monitoring of atmospheric heavy metal pollution of major emergency events using moss bags:a case study in Xichang
Environmental Science & Technology
; 44(8):82-90, 2021.
Article
in Chinese, English
| CAB Abstracts | ID: covidwho-2056700
ABSTRACT
In order to trace and monitor the atmospheric heavy metal pollution in Xichang City, an investigation activity was carried out with a sort of moss (Taxiphyllum taxirameum) (packed in moss bags) as a biological indicator for monitoring heavy metal pollution. The investigation was conducted from the period from April 2019 to April 2020, during which two grave emergency events occurred during spring monitoring period from January 15 to April 15, 2020, i.e., COVID-19 and "3.30"severe forest fire in Xichang, which inevitably affected the atmospheric quality. Based on the concentration analysis of 12 kinds of heavy metal, including Al, Cr, Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, Mn, Hg, Zn, V, As and Ba contained in the moss and the local meteorological data, comparing those informative data before and after the time when the emergency events toke place, the paper made an analysis on the impacts of two enormous emergency events on the air pollution of heavy metal in Xichang. The results showed that total amount of enrichment of above-mentioned 12 heavy metals in spring (January 15 to April 15, 2020) is (12.85 +or- 1.57) mg/g, which was significantly higher than in the other three seasons (p < 0.01), but no significant discrepancies about the total enrichment amount in the other three seasons (p > 0.05). Primarily because of COVID-19 pandemic, the level of motor vehicles emissions cut down, and the decrease of the tourism in the related areas perhaps causing the decline of pollution of Pb. In addition, the decrease of unbalanced emission of pollutants led to a noted increase of atmospheric oxidation in urban area, thus boosting the formation of secondary particulate matter, and the particulate matter from surrounding industrial sources was transported into the urban area;as a result, remarkable increases of Hg concentration of moss within the moss bags were detected downwind the industrial area located in the urban fringe. Consequently, the investigation showed that the moss-bag method is an effective biological tool for monitoring air heavy metal pollution, which could reflect the impacts of major pollution events on air quality.
Pollution and Degradation [PP600]; Meteorology and Climate [PP500]; Forest Fires [KK130]; air pollution; urban areas; heavy metals; air pollutants; air quality; monitoring; case studies; biological indicators; spring; forest fires; aluminium; chromium; iron; copper; nickel; lead; manganese; mercury; zinc; vanadium; arsenic; barium; meteorological factors; climatic seasons; vehicle emissions; oxidation; particulate matter; industrial wastes; industrial sites; coronavirus disease 2019; pandemics; Hypnaceae; Sichuan; China; South Western China; APEC countries; East Asia; Asia; high Human Development Index countries; upper-middle income countries; mosses; Bryophyta; plants; eukaryotes; Taxiphyllum taxirameum; atmospheric pollution; People's Republic of China; aluminum; Mn
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
CAB Abstracts
Type of study:
Case report
Language:
English
/
Chinese
Journal:
Environmental Science & Technology
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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