Lichen-Transplant Biomonitoring in the Assessment of Dispersion of Atmospheric Trace-Element Pollutants: Effects of Orientation Towards the Wind Direction

Transplants of the epiphytic lichen Parmelia sulcata were suspended in nylon bags in a special device allowing a fixed orientation of the lichen towards the wind direction, viz. facing the wind (F orientation) or shielded from the wind by its substrate (T orientation). The F- and T-orientation data were mutually compared and also with reference values (= time zero values of the transplants). The data were analysed via Monte Carlo added target transformation factor analysis (MCATTFA) to get information on possible emission-source profiles and their contributions to total-element levels in transplants, in F- and T-orientations. Both orientations did not differ for Na, Mg, P, Cl, K, Fe, Co, Ni, Ga, Se, Br, Sr, Ba, La, Nd, Sm, Lu and Ta, but showed some time-related differences for Cr and Zn. For the remaining elements the data presents a high variability. Under the conditions of the experiment, F- and T-oriented transplants generally did not result in differences in source profiles reflected, nor in differences in source contributions to element levels in the transplants