Kamel Khalil * (1), Shahid Mostafa and (2) Rannem Aboud (1)
(1) Department of Environmental Prevention, Higher Institute for Environmental Research, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.
(2) Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: kamel Khalil, d.kamelkhalil@tishreen.edu.sy ).
Received: 17/5/2024 Accepted: 8/7/2024
Abstract:
This study aimed to monitor the state of pollution with some heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) resulting from the M1 international Highway, using transplanted lichens as a Bioaccumulator of heavy metals. Therefore, samples of the Parmelia pastillifera were collected on 5/20/2022 from the Cedar – fir Reserve in the Slanfa area (Latakia city – Syria). Lichens samples were transported to the eastern side (prevailing westerly winds) of the M1 international highway at the beginning of the sixth month, 1/6/2022, to four locations at different distances from the highway (0 – 10 – 50 – 100 metres) and the transplanted lichens were hung with drilled nylon bags on trees in the sites at a height of (1.5-2) meters above the soil surface and left for 3 months (July, August, September). Concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) were estimated at the end of each month in the laboratories of the Higher Institute for Environmental Research with the aim of studying the relationship between these 4 elements. The results showed that the order of the metal content values accumulated in the transplanted lichens in the four sites and in all samples taken was as follows: zinc > copper > lead > cadmium. The metal content values were higher than the control, positive significant correlations were recorded between the studied metals. According to the values of the accumulation factor (EC ratio), the accumulation class for cadmium and copper was (severe to moderate), and the accumulation of lead (light to moderate) and zinc was (low). The studied metals recorded a negative correlation with distance (concentrations decreased with increasing distance from the highway), but it was not significant. The study concluded with the possibility of adopting the transplanted Parmelina pastillifera as a bioaccumulator to evaluate roadside pollution with heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) under the conditions of the study area.
Keywords: Transplanted Lichens, Bioaccumulator, Heavy Metal, M1 International Highway. Syria.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF