Z. Jeran et al., ATMOSPHERIC HEAVY-METAL POLLUTION IN SLOVENIA DERIVED FROM RESULTS FOR EPIPHYTIC LICHENS, Fresenius' journal of analytical chemistry, 354(5-6), 1996, pp. 681-687
In 1992, a monitoring survey has been started on the national scale in
Slovenia using the epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. The
primary aim has been to analyse lichens using the k(0)-based INAA met
hod to obtain information about the levels of elements in the atmosphe
re and to identify significant pollution sources, Monte Carlo-Assisted
Factor Analysis was applied to a data set of the 28 elements As, Ag,
Ba, Br, Ce, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Ga, Hf, Hg, K, La, Mo, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc,
Se, Sr, Sm, Tb, Th, U, W and Zn, which have been selected from the el
ements determined as the most important ones for the identification of
pollution sources. A Monte Carlo approach has been used to give more
insight into the uncertainties and significance levels of the factor a
nalysis results. It has been found that concentration patterns in lich
ens yielded 9 factors (source types) which are presented and discussed
in detail. The geographical patterns of the contributions of all fact
ors are also shown.