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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Using mosses as biomonitors to study trace element emissions and their distribution in six different volcanic areas
Julia ArndtSergio CalabreseBritta Planer-friedrichWalter D'alessandrosubject
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciencesLavaMineralogyContext (language use)010501 environmental sciences01 natural sciencesVolcanic GasesGeochemistry and PetrologyBiomonitoringeventGeophysicVolatiles0105 earth and related environmental sciencesevent.disaster_typeVolatile elementVolcanic emissiongeographygeography.geographical_feature_categorybiologyTrace elementActive biomonitoringbiology.organism_classificationMossGeophysicsVolcanoMetal(loid)Geologydescription
Volcanoes emit SO2, CO2, and H2S, but also trace elements gases and particles such as As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Sb. Active moss bag biomonitoring, an easy to apply and low budget method, was used to determine trace element release from volcanic areas of different geological context and climates. Exposure height variations (0.7â1.6 m above ground) due to different availability of natural tie points did not affect the results. Accumulation was linear for exposure durations from three days to nine weeks, so values were comparable by normalization to moss exposure time. Uncovered moss bags showed higher accumulation than co-exposed covered ones because of additional dust and wet deposition while washout by rain was negligible. The selection of a specific moss significantly affected element accumulation with moss of lower shoot compactness accumulating more. For all volcanic areas, highest accumulation was found for S (1â1000 μmol·(g·d)â 1), followed by Fe and Mg (0.1â10 μmol·(g·d)â 1), Sr, Ba, Pb, Cr, Li (10â 4â10â 1μmol·(g·d)â 1), then Co, Mo and the volatile elements As, Sb, Se, Tl, Bi (10â 6â10â 2μmol·(g·d)â 1). For most elements, open conduit volcanoes (Etna, Stromboli, Nyiragongo) showed higher moss accumulation rates than more quiescent hydrothermal areas (Vulcano > Nisyros > Yellowstone National Park) and a correlation of S, Fe, and Pb from eruptive ash and lava emissions. For some volatile elements (S, As, Se), higher accumulation was observed within fumarolic fields compared to crater rims of open conduit volcanoes which is a relevant information for risk assessment of tourist exposure to volcanic gases.
year | journal | country | edition | language |
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2017-09-01 | Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research |