Using Betula pendula and Telephora caryophyllea for Soil Pollution Assessment

The concentrations of available arsenic, copper, lead, and zinc in the soil, and the concentration of these elements in vegetal tissues were measured. The most common species at the sites were studied. All the species that were analyzed took up pollutants and could indicate polluted soil. However, all the studied species did not fit to map pollution. The birch (Betula pendula) and most of the fungi species had still quite low concentrations in their tissues compared with the available concentrations in the soil. No direct correlation between the pollution content in the soil and in the vegetation tissues could be observed. Specimens of Thlaspi caerulescens were accumulating zinc. Of the four fungi species collected, only Thelephora caryophyllea seemed to accumulate actively in the studied pollutants. Moreover, it was possible to use an arsenic test with the fungi, which is also interesting from the perspective of preliminary assessment of the degree of pollution. A qualitative judgement of the soil pollution is possible by examining the plant material. To obtain a more quantitative and complete mapping, the method has to be developed further and completed with other investigations when vegetation is missing.