Study of the Impact of Industrial Emission on the Vegetation Grown Around Huelva (South of Spain) City

This paper reports the spatial pollution variability, obtained by using vegetal samples for biomonitoring atmospheric pollution around one of the most industrialized areas in the southwestern Spain (Huelva), through the study of the impact of industrial emissions on two Mediterranean species: Pinus pinea L. and Nerium oleander L. Samples were collected during spring of 2002, at different distances (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 km) along two transects running to the dominant wind directions from the industrial complex and another against wind direction. Leaves and branches of the two species, together with soil samples were collected at each site. The concentration of Cu, Pb and Zn was determined by simultaneous inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP\MS). Two principal emission sources of pollution were identified, one from industrial focus that markedly affects the level of Cu and Zn in the vicinity (0.5–1 km) of the industrial complex, and another one from secondary anthropogenic activities that are responsible of the high level of Cu, Pb and Zn. P. pinea is a better biomonitor of Zn than N. oleander. Pine needles are better biomonitors of Zn pollution than bark because of their physicochemical characteristic.