Heavy metal transfer from atmosphere to plants

Abstract
Heavy metal contamination due to traffic was studied in the water basin of the Aiguebelette lake (Savoie, France) in the alpine chain. It is surrounded by mountains and crossed by a highway on a 6-km-distance. Contamination of lichens, mosses, barks and dead leaves litters were submitted to a comparative study. The quantities of six metals (Pb, Al, Cd, Zn, Mn, Ni) were estimated in each of these materials. Except for Al which was highly concentrated in Xanthoria parietina and to a lesser extent in mosses, all the matrices accumulated the metals in a relatively similar way. The hyperaccumulation factor varied from 2 to 258, depending on the sampling point on the studied metal and on the matrix. Bark represented a long-term accumulator and contained more lead than the other matrices. In the studied water basin, a specific atmospheric movement allowed to distribute the contaminants far away from the highway, especially on the west slope of the highest mountain.