A biomonitoring method using the cellular distribution of metals in moss

Samples of the feather moss Hylocomium splendens, were subjected to a sequential elution procedure in order to quantify the metal content of the intercellular, extracellular exchangeable, intracellular and particulate fractions. Measurements were made on segments of different age and with increasing distance from a heavy metal pollution source. The effect of desiccation and storage time following field sampling was shown to modify the cellular location of elements, but rehydration could partly reverse such responses. Ni and Pb were shown to be equally effective for the elution of extracellular exchangeable Zn supplied under laboratory conditions. The value of the sequential elution procedure for heavy metal biomonitoring studies is discussed.