Atmospheric deposition of metals in romania studied by biomonitoring using the epiphytic moss hypnum cupressiforme

The results obtained from a study using the epiphytic moss species Hypnum cupressiforme to estimate heavy-metal atmospheric deposition in the province of Moldavia (Romania) are presented. The present study is a part of a biomonitoring programme in Moldavia and could serve as a starting point for further planning of biomonitoring using new moss species in regions where the commonly used Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi are not present. Moss samples were collected within the catchment of Prut, a border river between Romania, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, at a total of 25 sampling points and analysed for a wide range of elements, most of them heavy metals. The samples were analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis using epithermal neutrons (ENAA) for 40 elements. Using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), the elements Cd, Tl, Pb, V, Cr, Ni, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, In, and Bi were determined. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used for the determination of Cd, Cu, Pb...