CORRELATIONS BETWEEN 2 BIOMONITORING NETW ORKS - METALS IN MOSSES ANDSULFUR IN FIR NEEDLES

Data from two biomonitoring networks operated by the Bavarian Environm ental Protection Agency (Bayerisches Landesamt fur Umweltschutz) were analysed. By the first network, the sulphur contents in specimens of r ecent fir needles has been measured since 1977, the second has observe d the concentration of metals and of other elements in epiphytic mosse s Hypnum cupressiforme since 1981. Both networks are located on a regu lar grid with distances 16 km; samples have been collected yearly. Epi phytic mosses accumulate substances only through their leaves, which q ualifies them as bioindicators of airborne substances. We were interes ted in the question to what amount the metals accumulated in mosses st em from air pollutants, as compared to chemical compounds from the soi l which are drifted onto the mosses' leaves by the wind. On the other hand, the sulphur contents of fir needles is considered as a bioindica tor of air contamination by sulphur compounds, the main source of whic h is lignite combustion. Examples of correlation analyses between moss and fir measurements are reported for titanium and arsenic. There was a strong influence of a few measurements from the strongest polluted region, the north-east of Bavaria, where the relative excess of sulphu r in fir needles turned our to be higher than the relative excess (mea sured on the logarithmic scale) of titanium and arsenic loads in mosse s. Positive correlations with sulphur values were found for the titani um and arsenic measurements.