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Biomonitoring of traffic air pollution in Rome using magnetic properties of tree leaves
Author(s)
Language
English
Obiettivo Specifico
2.2. Laboratorio di paleomagnetismo
3.8. Geofisica per l'ambiente
Status
Published
JCR Journal
JCR Journal
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
21 / 37 (2003)
Publisher
Elsevier Science Ltd
Pages (printed)
2967-2977
Issued date
July 2003
Abstract
We report a biomonitoring study of air pollution in Rome based on the magnetic properties of tree leaves.
In a first step, magnetic properties of leaves from different tree species from the same location were compared. It was observed that leaves of evergreen species, like Quercus ilex, present much higher magnetic intensities than those of deciduous species, like Platanus sp., suggesting that leaves accumulate magnetic pollutants during their whole lifespan. In a second step, leaves from Q. ilex and Platanus sp. trees, both very common in Rome, have been used to monitor
traffic emission pollution in two different periods. A Platanus sp. sampling campaign was undertaken in October 2001, at the end of the seasonal vegetational cycle, and 5 Q. ilex monthly sampling campaigns from April to August 2002. The strong difference observed in the magnetic susceptibility from leaves collected in green areas and roads allowed
the realization of detailed pollution distribution maps from the south of Rome. Magnetic properties indicate that high
concentrations and relatively larger grain-sizes of magnetic particles are observed in trees located along roads with high vehicle traffic and in the vicinity of railways. The decrease in concentration and grain size of magnetic particles with distance from the roadside confirms that magnetic properties of leaves are related to air pollution from vehicle emissions.
The results indicate that a magnetic survey of tree leaves, which is relatively rapid and inexpensive, may be used in addition to the classical air quality monitoring systems to identify and delineate high-polluted areas in urban environments.
In a first step, magnetic properties of leaves from different tree species from the same location were compared. It was observed that leaves of evergreen species, like Quercus ilex, present much higher magnetic intensities than those of deciduous species, like Platanus sp., suggesting that leaves accumulate magnetic pollutants during their whole lifespan. In a second step, leaves from Q. ilex and Platanus sp. trees, both very common in Rome, have been used to monitor
traffic emission pollution in two different periods. A Platanus sp. sampling campaign was undertaken in October 2001, at the end of the seasonal vegetational cycle, and 5 Q. ilex monthly sampling campaigns from April to August 2002. The strong difference observed in the magnetic susceptibility from leaves collected in green areas and roads allowed
the realization of detailed pollution distribution maps from the south of Rome. Magnetic properties indicate that high
concentrations and relatively larger grain-sizes of magnetic particles are observed in trees located along roads with high vehicle traffic and in the vicinity of railways. The decrease in concentration and grain size of magnetic particles with distance from the roadside confirms that magnetic properties of leaves are related to air pollution from vehicle emissions.
The results indicate that a magnetic survey of tree leaves, which is relatively rapid and inexpensive, may be used in addition to the classical air quality monitoring systems to identify and delineate high-polluted areas in urban environments.
References
Alfani, A., Baldantoni, D., Maisto, G., Bartoli, G., Virzo de
Santo, A., 2000. Temporal and spatial variation in C, N, S
and trace element contents in the leaves of Quercus ilex
within the urban area of Naples. Environmental Pollution
109, 119–129.
Alfani, A., Maisto, G., Pratti, M.V., Baldantoni, D., 2001.
Leaves of Quercus ilex as biomonitors of PAHs in the
air of Naples (Italy). Atmospheric Environment 35,
3553–3559.
Bloemendal, J., Lamb, J.B, King, J., 1988. Paleoenvironmental
implications of rock-magnetic properties of late quaternary
sediment cores from the eastern equatorial Atlantic.
Paleoceanography 3 (1), 61–87.
B.ohm, P., Wolterbeek, H., Verburg, T., Mulisek, L., 1998.
The use of tree bark for environmental pollution monitoring
in the Czech Republic. Environmental Pollution 102,
243–250.
Bussoti, F., Grossoni, P., Batistoni, P., Ferreti, M., Cenni, E.,
1995. Preliminary studies on the ability of plant barriers to
capture lead and cadmium of vehicular origin. Aerobiologia
11, 11–18.
Caggiano, R., D’Emilio, M., Macchiato, M., Ragosta, M.,
2001. Ryegrass species as biomonitors of atmospheric
heavy metals emissions. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin
10, 31–36.
Caggiano, R., D’Emilio, M., Macchiato, M., Ragosta, M.
Heavy metals in ryegrass species versus metal concentrations
in atmospheric particulate. Atmospheric Environment,
submitted for publication.
Flanders, P.J., 1994. Collection, measurement, analysis of
airborne magnetic particulates from pollution in the
environment. Journal of Applied Physics 75, 5931–5936.
Freer-Smith, P.H., Holloway, S., Goodman, A., 1997. The
uptake of particulates by an urban woodland, site description
and particulate composition. Environmental Pollution
95 (1), 27–35.
Georgeaud, V.M., Rochette, P., Ambrosi, J.P., Vandamme, D.,
Williamson, D., 1997. Relationship between heavy metals
and magnetic properties in a large polluted catchments, the
Etang de Berre (South France). Physics and Chemistry of
the Earth 22 (1–2), 211–214.
Gratani, L., Crecente, M.F, Petruzzi, M., 2000. Relationship
between leaf-life span and photosynthetic activity of
Quercus ilex in polluted urban areas (Rome). Environmental
Pollution 110, 19–28.
Hanesch, M., Scholger, R., Dearing, J.A. Recording pollution
in cities by measuring magnetic parameters of tree leaves.
Atmospheric Environment, submitted for publication.
Hanesch, M., Scholger, R., Dekkers, M.J., 2001. The application
of fuzzy c-means cluster analysis and non-linear
mapping to a soil data set for the detection of polluted
sites. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 26 (11–12),
885–891.
Hay, K.L., Dearing, J.A., Baban, S.M.J., Loveland, P., 1997. A
preliminary attempt to identify atmospherically derived
pollution particles in English topsoils from magnetic
susceptibility measurements. Physics and Chemistry of the
Earth 22 (1–2), 207–210.
Hoffmann, V., Knab, M., Appel, E., 1999. Magnetic susceptibility
mapping of roadside pollution. Journal of Geochemical
Exploration 66, 313–326.
Hunt, A., Jones, J., Oldfield, F., 1984. Magnetic measurements
and heavy metals in atmospheric particles of anthropogenic
origin. The Science of the Total Environment 33,
129–139.
Lau, O.W., Luk, S.F., 2001. Leaves of Bauhinia blakeana as
indicators of atmospheric pollution in Hong Kong. Atmospheric
Environment 35, 3113–3120.
Leocoanet, H., Leveque, F., Ambrosi, J.-P., 2001. Magnetic
properties of salt-marsh soils contaminated by iron industry
emissions (Southeast France). Journal of Applied Geophysics
48, 67–81.
Matzka, J., Maher, B.A., 1999. Magnetic biomonitoring of
roadside tree leaves, identification of spatial and temporal
variations in vehicle-derived particulates. Atmospheric
Environment 33, 4565–4569.
Monaci, F., Moni, F., Lanciotti, E., Grechi, D., Bargagli, R.,
2000. Biomonitoring of airborne metals in urban environments,
new tracers of vehicle emission, in place of lead.
Environmental Pollution 107, 321–327.
Morris, W.A., Versteeg, J.K., Bryant, D.W., Legzdins, A.E.,
McCarry, B.E, Marvin, X.H., 1995. Preliminary comparisons
between mutagenic and magnetic susceptibility of
respirable airborne particle. Atmospheric Environment 29,
3441–3450.
Muxworthy, A., Matzka, J., Petersen, N., 2001. Comparison of
magnetic parameters of urban atmospheric particulate
matter with pollution and meteorological data. Atmospheric
Environment 35, 4379–4386.
Muxworthy, A., Schmidbauer, E., Petersen, N., 2002. Magnetic
properties and M.ossbauer spectra of urban atmospheric
particulate matter, a case study from Munich,
Germany. Geophysical Journal International 150,
558–570.
Shu, J., Dearing, J.A., Morse, A.P., Yu, L., Yuan, N., 2001.
Determining the sources of atmospheric particles in
Shanghai, China, from magnetic and geochemical properties.
Atmospheric Environment 35, 2615–2625.
Thompson, R., Oldfield, F., 1986. Environmental Magnetism.
Allen & Unwin, London.
Xie, S., Dearing, J.A., Boyle, J.F., Bloemendal, J., Morse,
A.P., 2001. Association between magnetic properties
and element concentrations of Liverpool street dust
and its implications. Journal of Applied Geophysics 48,
83–92.
Santo, A., 2000. Temporal and spatial variation in C, N, S
and trace element contents in the leaves of Quercus ilex
within the urban area of Naples. Environmental Pollution
109, 119–129.
Alfani, A., Maisto, G., Pratti, M.V., Baldantoni, D., 2001.
Leaves of Quercus ilex as biomonitors of PAHs in the
air of Naples (Italy). Atmospheric Environment 35,
3553–3559.
Bloemendal, J., Lamb, J.B, King, J., 1988. Paleoenvironmental
implications of rock-magnetic properties of late quaternary
sediment cores from the eastern equatorial Atlantic.
Paleoceanography 3 (1), 61–87.
B.ohm, P., Wolterbeek, H., Verburg, T., Mulisek, L., 1998.
The use of tree bark for environmental pollution monitoring
in the Czech Republic. Environmental Pollution 102,
243–250.
Bussoti, F., Grossoni, P., Batistoni, P., Ferreti, M., Cenni, E.,
1995. Preliminary studies on the ability of plant barriers to
capture lead and cadmium of vehicular origin. Aerobiologia
11, 11–18.
Caggiano, R., D’Emilio, M., Macchiato, M., Ragosta, M.,
2001. Ryegrass species as biomonitors of atmospheric
heavy metals emissions. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin
10, 31–36.
Caggiano, R., D’Emilio, M., Macchiato, M., Ragosta, M.
Heavy metals in ryegrass species versus metal concentrations
in atmospheric particulate. Atmospheric Environment,
submitted for publication.
Flanders, P.J., 1994. Collection, measurement, analysis of
airborne magnetic particulates from pollution in the
environment. Journal of Applied Physics 75, 5931–5936.
Freer-Smith, P.H., Holloway, S., Goodman, A., 1997. The
uptake of particulates by an urban woodland, site description
and particulate composition. Environmental Pollution
95 (1), 27–35.
Georgeaud, V.M., Rochette, P., Ambrosi, J.P., Vandamme, D.,
Williamson, D., 1997. Relationship between heavy metals
and magnetic properties in a large polluted catchments, the
Etang de Berre (South France). Physics and Chemistry of
the Earth 22 (1–2), 211–214.
Gratani, L., Crecente, M.F, Petruzzi, M., 2000. Relationship
between leaf-life span and photosynthetic activity of
Quercus ilex in polluted urban areas (Rome). Environmental
Pollution 110, 19–28.
Hanesch, M., Scholger, R., Dearing, J.A. Recording pollution
in cities by measuring magnetic parameters of tree leaves.
Atmospheric Environment, submitted for publication.
Hanesch, M., Scholger, R., Dekkers, M.J., 2001. The application
of fuzzy c-means cluster analysis and non-linear
mapping to a soil data set for the detection of polluted
sites. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 26 (11–12),
885–891.
Hay, K.L., Dearing, J.A., Baban, S.M.J., Loveland, P., 1997. A
preliminary attempt to identify atmospherically derived
pollution particles in English topsoils from magnetic
susceptibility measurements. Physics and Chemistry of the
Earth 22 (1–2), 207–210.
Hoffmann, V., Knab, M., Appel, E., 1999. Magnetic susceptibility
mapping of roadside pollution. Journal of Geochemical
Exploration 66, 313–326.
Hunt, A., Jones, J., Oldfield, F., 1984. Magnetic measurements
and heavy metals in atmospheric particles of anthropogenic
origin. The Science of the Total Environment 33,
129–139.
Lau, O.W., Luk, S.F., 2001. Leaves of Bauhinia blakeana as
indicators of atmospheric pollution in Hong Kong. Atmospheric
Environment 35, 3113–3120.
Leocoanet, H., Leveque, F., Ambrosi, J.-P., 2001. Magnetic
properties of salt-marsh soils contaminated by iron industry
emissions (Southeast France). Journal of Applied Geophysics
48, 67–81.
Matzka, J., Maher, B.A., 1999. Magnetic biomonitoring of
roadside tree leaves, identification of spatial and temporal
variations in vehicle-derived particulates. Atmospheric
Environment 33, 4565–4569.
Monaci, F., Moni, F., Lanciotti, E., Grechi, D., Bargagli, R.,
2000. Biomonitoring of airborne metals in urban environments,
new tracers of vehicle emission, in place of lead.
Environmental Pollution 107, 321–327.
Morris, W.A., Versteeg, J.K., Bryant, D.W., Legzdins, A.E.,
McCarry, B.E, Marvin, X.H., 1995. Preliminary comparisons
between mutagenic and magnetic susceptibility of
respirable airborne particle. Atmospheric Environment 29,
3441–3450.
Muxworthy, A., Matzka, J., Petersen, N., 2001. Comparison of
magnetic parameters of urban atmospheric particulate
matter with pollution and meteorological data. Atmospheric
Environment 35, 4379–4386.
Muxworthy, A., Schmidbauer, E., Petersen, N., 2002. Magnetic
properties and M.ossbauer spectra of urban atmospheric
particulate matter, a case study from Munich,
Germany. Geophysical Journal International 150,
558–570.
Shu, J., Dearing, J.A., Morse, A.P., Yu, L., Yuan, N., 2001.
Determining the sources of atmospheric particles in
Shanghai, China, from magnetic and geochemical properties.
Atmospheric Environment 35, 2615–2625.
Thompson, R., Oldfield, F., 1986. Environmental Magnetism.
Allen & Unwin, London.
Xie, S., Dearing, J.A., Boyle, J.F., Bloemendal, J., Morse,
A.P., 2001. Association between magnetic properties
and element concentrations of Liverpool street dust
and its implications. Journal of Applied Geophysics 48,
83–92.
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