Biological Monitoring Using Lichens as a Source of Information About Contamination of Mountain with Heavy Metals

Abstract The aim of this study was passive biomonitoring of the mountains of southern Poland. Lichens Hypogymnia physodes were used for the study. Concentrations of the heavy metals Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were determined in these lichens. The concentrations were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The analysis of the concentrations of the determined heavy metals in the lichen thallus allowed to determine the places with the highest and the lowest contamination with a given heavy metal in the study area. It was shown that the area of Great Czantoria and Big Soszow is the most contaminated with heavy metals among the investigated areas. The study shows that the transport of analytes with the wind from distant emission sources, low-level emission (coal burning), and traffic have the greatest influence on the level of atmospheric aerosol pollution in the study area.