Comparison of heavy metal accumulation capacity of some indigenous mosses in Southwest China cities: a case study in Chengdu city

In order to evaluate the accumulation capacity of heavy metals in mosses, the total contents of eight elements (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr) determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) methods were compared in four types of indigenous mosses (Brachythecium plumosum, Eurhynchium laxirete, Taxiphyllum taxirameum, Haplocladium strictulum), which were collected from different sampling sites in the Chengdu city, China. The study found that heavy metal concentrations showed significant differences in interspecies and intraspecies comparison, while the accumulation capacity of T. taxirameum was higher than others. ANOVA analysis indicated that the atmospheric pollution of heavy metals in Wangjiang Park was relatively more serious than that of Ta Zishan Park and Cultural Park. The data also showed that the concentrations of heavy metals in the Chengdu city were higher compared to some foreign cities. The results are coincident with the previous conclusions that the difference of heavy metal depositions in mosses was not only related to environment, but also to their biological features.