Lichen Biomonitoring of Geothermal Air Pollution in Central Italy

Abstract

Epiphytic lichens have bcen uscd as of air pollution in the geothermal field Italy) Two different approaches have been used: bioindication of air quality and bioaccumulation of trace elements and radionuclides Bioindication showed the air quality occur power plants, up to a distance of about 500 and proved to be a reliable fool in delimiting the geothermal air pollution. showed a very low occurrence of heavy metals such as Cd, Hg and Pb and relatively high values for As, B, Co, Cr, Fe, Mo and Ni, but did not point out any clear relationship between the and the presence of the geothermal power plants, the only exception being represented The concentrations found at proved to be comparable or even lower than those found in control arcas.