Kamel Khalil*⁽¹⁾, Mahmoud Ali ⁽²⁾, Lubna Hassn⁽²⁾

(1). Environmental Prevention Department, Higher Institute for Environmental Research, Tishreen University.

(2). Department of Forestry and Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University.

(*Corresponding author:Dr. Kamel Khalil. Email: d.kamelkhalil@tishreen.edu.sy)

Received date: 27/11/ 2020              Accepted date: 7/04/2021 

Abstract:

This study aimed to estimate the concentration of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) elements in the thalli of lichen Parmelina pastillifera taken from the Cedar and fir reserve in Slunfah which is an unpolluted area (control area: STC) on 1/6/2019 and transplanted to four sites (ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4) in the city of Latakia (rural and urban), differentiated according to the traffic density and industrial activity. The concentration of lead and cadmium was determined by using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer after placing the lichen in the four sites for grades  periods of time 2, 4, and 6 months of exposure. The results showed an increase in the accumulation of lead and cadmium elements over time at all sites compared with the control. The lead concentration ranged in the sites (53.33-97.17 ppm) and the control (5.75 ppm), and the highest concentration of lead was at the site (ST4), an area of industrial activity. The cadmium concentration ranged (15.10-17.76 ppm) and the control (0.63 ppm) and the highest concentration of cadmium was on site (ST4). The Exposure- to -Control (EC) ranged for lead (9.36-16.90) and for cadmium (23.84-28.04). This means that there is a severe bioaccumulation of the two elements in all sites. As a result, we can consider that Parmelina pastillifera lichen is an effective bioaccumulator that can be adopted in environmental studies for estimating heavy elements (lead and cadmium) in cities where the lichens are missing.

Key words: Transplanted lichens, Parmelina pastillifera, Bioaccumulator, Lead, Ccadmium, Lattakia, Syria.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf