| Title |
Lichen transplants as a suitable tool to identify mercury pollution from waste incinerators: a case study from NE Italy
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, June 2010
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10661-010-1553-x |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Mauro Tretiach, Fabio Candotto Carniel, Stefano Loppi, Alberto Carniel, Adriano Bortolussi, Denis Mazzilis, Clorinda Del Bianco |
| Abstract |
A lichen transplant study aimed at investigating a strong increase in mercury concentrations in lichens was run in a territory of NE Italy where background values were very low only 8 years before. Thalli of the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea collected in a pristine area were exposed for 1.5, 3 and 6 months at 31 sites selected according to the observed pattern of Hg concentrations, location of the suspected source (a new waste incinerator) and prevailing wind direction. Hg strongly increased at eight sites after 1.5 months, at 12 after 3 months and at 20 after 6 months. The highest values were always located SW and S of the incinerator, in good agreement with the prevailing night wind direction. It was concluded that, although the immediate risk for the population living close to the incinerator is low, long-term hazard due to Hg accumulation in the surrounding environment should be seriously taken into account. |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 25 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| France | 1 | 4% |
| Italy | 1 | 4% |
| Unknown | 23 | 92% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 8 | 32% |
| Researcher | 6 | 24% |
| Student > Bachelor | 2 | 8% |
| Lecturer > Senior Lecturer | 2 | 8% |
| Student > Master | 2 | 8% |
| Other | 4 | 16% |
| Unknown | 1 | 4% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science | 10 | 40% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 6 | 24% |
| Earth and Planetary Sciences | 3 | 12% |
| Social Sciences | 1 | 4% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1 | 4% |
| Other | 1 | 4% |
| Unknown | 3 | 12% |