FACADE CLIMBING JAPANESE CREEPER AS ACCUM ULATION INDICATOR PLANT - DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY-METALS IN URBAN-STREETS WITH DIFFERENT BUILDING STRUCTURES

At different times within the years 1991 and 1992 at seven houses site d in the urban area of Dusseldorf (Germany) leaf samples of facade cli mbing Japanese creeper (Parthenocissus tricuspidata Sieb. et Zucc.) we re analysed on their contents of several heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) . With the help of soil investigations, leaf cleaning experiments and literature studies the ability of Japanese creeper as a passive accumu lation indicator plant for heavy metal aerosol pollution, particulary caused by traffic, was proofed. The results of the monitoring point ou t, that the heavy metal concentration in dried leaf material correspon ds to volume and kind of traffic and to the density of building stuctu re. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were detected in centra l city street canyons. Comparing the results of summer and autumn tria ls a seasonable-influence to the spreading of heavy metal pollution is indicated: In the summertime thermic induced vertical airmovement com plements the dynamic distribution of wind and turbulence by convection .