Lichen as quantitative biomonitors of atmospheric

Authors: Rajesh Bajpai D K Upreti S K Dwivedi S Nayaka

Publish Date: 2010/08/25

Volume: 63, Issue: 3, Pages: 235-246

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Abstract

Three different growth forms of lichens belonging to six species Phaeophyscia hispidula Parmotrema praesorediosum foliose Caloplaca subsoluta Diploschistes candidissmus crustose and Peltula euploca Phylliscum indicum squamulose were studied comparatively for the biomonitoring of Al Cd Cr Cu Fe Ni and Zn in Mandav city in central India Based on the anthropogenic activities three sites were selected for lichen collection To identify the sources of heavy metal pollution their concentration was analyzed in thallus as well as in their respective substrates The thallus of studied lichens showed higher concentration of metals such as Cd Cr Ni and Zn while most of the metals were absent or present in negligible amount in substrates Fe Al Cu which proves that the accumulated metals were air borne The foliose lichens P hispidula and P praesorediosum found highly significant in metal accumulation at each sites followed by crustose and squamulose forms Lichen samples collected from site 2 adjacent to road side accumulated maximum quantities of Zn Ni Cd and Cr whereas the city centre Site 1 had maximum concentrations of Fe Cu and Al The site 3 situated away from the city had lowest amount of all the metals The analysis of variance and LSD indicated that the metal concentrations among lichen species as well as between substratum is significant at p  005 and P  001 level respectively

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