Identifying the sources of air pollution in an urban-industrial setting by lichen biomonitoring - A multi-tracer approach

摘要

This study applies a multi-tracer biomonitoring approach for identifying the sources of atmospheric toxic metals in Middletown, Ohio, a mixed-use urban-industrial setting with several potential significant pollutant sources, including steel and coke production, traffic, and regional coal fired power plants. Lichen samples were analyzed for trace elements and Pb and Nd isotopes to evaluate the impact of various anthropogenic sources of pollution on the atmospheric chemistry, and to determine the relative contribution of each source to the atmospheric toxic metal budget. Additionally, atmospheric particulate matter (PM) from the vicinity of the principal pollutant sources was analyzed for trace metal and Pb isotopic composition, as well as scanning electron microscopy, to characterize the most recent emissions.