Abstract
The concentrations of Pb, Cu, Fe, and Mn were analyzed in surface deposit and tissue ofQuercus ilex leaves from several sites of the urban area of Naples, exposed to different degrees of air pollution. These included some major roads with heavy traffic loads, squares, and three urban parks. The soil from the trunk base area ofQ. ilex trees in the same sites was also analyzed for total and available metal contents. Pb, Cu, and Fe contents in the surface deposit and leaf tissue were significantly higher (p<0.01) in leaves from roadside sites than in leaves from parks; significant correlations were found between deposit- and tissue-contents of Pb, Cu, and Fe. Mn content in leaves from roadside sites and in leaves from parks were similar and Mn content in the leaf deposit was irrelevant. Significant differences (p<0.001) in both total and available Pb and Cu soil content were found between sampling sites. Also for available Fe and Mn soil content differences among sites were relevant, although the highest values were measured in soil from urban parks. A positive correlation between leaf and soil metal content was found only for Pb, thus suggesting that trace metal contents of leaves directly depend on atmospheric depositions. Seasonal variations of Pb, Cu, and Fe were pronounced at a polluted site, whereas no relevant seasonal variation was observed at a control site; moreover, metal accumulation was high at the polluted site. Mn content and seasonal dynamics were comparable at control and polluted sites.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. L. Page and T. J. Ganje, Accumulations of lead in soils for regions of high and low motor vehicle traffic density,Environ. Sci. Techn. 4, 140–142 (1970).
M. J. Buchauer, Contamination of soil and vegetation near a zinc smelter by zinc, cadmium, copper, and lead,Environ. Sci. Techn. 7, 131–135 (1973).
P. Little and R. D. Wiffen, Emission and deposition of petrol engine exhaust Pb-I. Deposition of exhaust Pb to plant and soil surfaces,Environment atmospheric 11, 437–447 (1977).
G. R. Parker, W. W. Mcfee, and J. M. Kelly, Metal distribution in forested ecosystems in urban and rural northwestern indiana,J. Environ. Qual. 7, 337–342 (1978).
G. Nakos, Pollution of soil and vegetation in the Thriasian Plain, Greece,Plant and Soil 66, 271–277 (1982).
W. H. Smith, Pollutant uptake by plants, inAir Pollution and Plant Life, M. Treshow, ed., Chichester, New York, Brisbane, pp. 417–450 (1984).
Y. B. Ho and K. M. Tal, Elevated levels of lead and other metals in roadside soil and grass and their use to monitor aerial metal depositions in Hong Kong,Environ. Pollut. 49, 37–51 (1988).
K. C. Jones, S. A. Watts, A. F. Harrison, and J. Dighton, The distribution of metals in the forest floor of aged conifer stands at a plantation in northern England,Environ. Pollut. 5, 31–47 (1988).
F. Rebele, A. Surma, C. Kuznik, R. Bornkamm, and T. Brey, Heavy metal contamination of spontaneous vegetation and soil around the copper smelter “Legnica”,Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 62, 53–57 (1993).
M. H. Wong and F. Y. Tam, Lead contamination of soil and vegetables grown near motorways in Hong Kong,J. Environ. Sci. Health 1, 13–22 (1978).
P. Ligocki, T. Olszewski, and K. Slowik, Heavy metal content of the soils, apple leaves, spurs and fruit from three experiment orchards,Fruit Science Reports 15, 35–41 (1988).
K. C. Jones, Contaminant trends in soils and crops,Environ. Pollut. 69, 311–325 (1991).
A. M. Andersen, A. H. Johnson, and T. G. Siccama, Levels of lead, copper and zinc in the forest floor in the north-eastern United States,J. Environ. Qual. 9, 293–296 (1980).
A. J. Friedland, A. H. Johnson, and T. g. Siccama, Trace metal content of the forest floor in the Green Mountains in Vermont: spatial and temporal patterns,Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 29, 233–243 (1986).
M. Hutton and C. Symon, The quantities of cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic entering the UK environment from human activities,Sci. Total Environ. 57, 129–150 (1986).
K. C. Jones, C. J. Symon, and A. E. Johnston, Retrospective analysis of an archived soil collection. I. Metals,Sci. Total Environ. 61, 131–144 (1987).
A. Alfani, G. Bartoli, A. Virzo De Santo, M. Lombardi, F. Rutigliano, A. Fioretto, and E. Gargiulo, Leaf elemental composition ofQuercus ilex L. in the urban area of Naples. I Trace elements, Conference on:Man and the environment, The Plants Components in Anthropic Systems Soc. Bot. Ital. ENEL Roma, pp. 121–135 (1989).
M. Mansi, V. Romano, and F. Senatore, Some heavy-metal pollutants in the air of Naples,APCA Journal 31, 881 (1981).
P. Little, A study of heavy metal contamination of leaf surfaces,Environ. Pollut. 5, 159–172 (1973).
W. L. Lindsay and W. A. Norvell, Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese and copper,Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 42, 421–428 (1978).
S. E. Allen,Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials, 2nd ed., Blackwell scientific publications, Oxford, London (1989).
M. Höllwarth, H. P. Harres, and H. Friedrich, Relations of heavy-metal-contents in soils and needles ofTaxus baccata L. at urban habitats,Flora 177, 227–235 (1985).
M. A. Francek, Soil lead levels in a small town environment: a case study from Mt Pleasant, Michigan,Environ. Pollut. 76, 251–257 (1992).
G. A. Reaves and M. L. Berrow, Total lead concentrations in Scottish soils,Geoderma 32, 1–8 (1984).
D. H. Khan and B. Frankland, Chemical forms of cadmium and lead in some contaminated soils,Environ. Pollut. 6, 15–31 (1983).
N. Albasel and A. Cottenie, Heavy metal contamination near major highways, industrial and urban areas in Belgian grassland,Water, Air and Soil Pollut. 24, 103–109 (1985).
F. A. Rutigliano, A. Alfani, G. Bartoli, A. R. Fierro, S. Castaldi, M. F. Cotrufo, and A. Virzo De Santo, Carico di metalli pesanti e attivitàenzimatica in suoli dell’area urbana di Napoli,Studi Sassaresi 35, (1993). In press.
A. Alfani, G. Bartoli, P. Caserta, and G. Andolfi, Amount and elemental composition of dry deposition to leaf surface ofQuercus ilex in the urban area of Naples, inResponses of Plants to Air Pollution: Biological and Economic Aspects, G. Lorenzini and G. F. Soldatini, eds., Pisa, pp. 194–199 (1995).
A. Kabata-Pendias and H. Pendias,Trace Elements in Soils and Plants, CRC, Boca Raton, FL (1984).
R. Venanzoni and W. Werner, Monitoring effects of air pollution with the aid of trunk base phenomena in Italian beech forests soil,Giorn. Bot. Ital. 122, 167–178 (1988).
R. Witting and H. Neite, Distribution of lead in the soils ofFagus sylvatica forests in Europe, inPlants and Pollutants in Developed and Developing Countries, M. A. Öztürk, ed., Izmir, Turkey, pp. 199–206 (1989).
J. M. Dasch, Measurement of dry deposition to surfaces in deciduous and pine canopies,Environ. Pollut. 44, 261–277 (1987).
M. S. Akhter and I. M. Madany, Heavy metals in street and house dust in Bahrain,Water, Air and Soil Pollut. 66, 111–119 (1993).
M. J. Bukovac and S. H. Vittwer, Absorption and mobility of foliar applications of nutrients,Pl. Physiol. 32, 428–435 (1957).
W. Franke, Foliar penetration of solutions,A. Rev. Pl. Physiol. 18, 281–300 (1967).
N. D. Kim and J. E. Fergusson. Seasonal variations in the concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in leaves of the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.),Environ. Pollut. 86, 89–97 (1994).
J. Moorby and H. M. Squire, The loss of radioactive isotopes from the leaves of plants in dry conditions,Radiat. Bot. 3, 163–167 (1963).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Alfani, A., Bartoli, G., Rutigliano, F.A. et al. Trace metal biomonitoring in the soil and the leaves ofQuercus ilex in the urban area of Naples. Biol Trace Elem Res 51, 117–131 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02790154
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02790154