A BIOMONITORING METHOD USING THE CELLULAR-DISTRIBUTION OF METALS IN MOSS

Samples of the feather moss Hylocomium splendens, were subjected to a sequential elution procedure in order to quantify the metal content of the intercellular, extracellular exchangeable, intracellular and part iculate fractions. Measurements were made on segments of different age and with increasing distance from a heavy metal pollution source. The effect of desiccation and storage time following field sampling was s hown to modify the cellular location of elements, but rehydration coul d partly reverse such responses. Ni and Pb were shown to be equally ef fective for the elution of extracellular exchangeable Zn supplied unde r laboratory conditions. The value of the sequential elution procedure for heavy metal biomonitoring studies is discussed.