The evaluation of hazardous element content in the needles of the Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) that originated from anthropogenic activities in the vicinity of the native habitats

Abstract

The aim of this research was to quantifythe content of hazardous elements in the needles ofNorway spruce (Picea abies L.) in the natural habitatsthat were accumulated from thermal power plants,mines, and metal processing industry. Fifteen naturalpopulations of the Norway spruce were sampled fromthe mountain ranges in Southeastern Europe (DinaricAlps and Balkan Mountains). Two-year-old spruceneedles were evaluated the content of the followinghazardous elements: heavy metals cadmium, mercury,nickel, lead and zinc, and metalloid arsenic. The effectof the distance between air pollution emitters and theNorway spruce natural habitats on the hazardous elementscontent in needles was also evaluated. Theresults of the analysis of variance confirmed interpopulationdifferences in the content of all analyzed hazardous elements. The effect of the air pollutionsource (thermal power plants, mines, and industry) onthe content of hazardous elements in the spruce needleswas also assessed. Significant correlation wasfound between the distance of air pollution emittersand the amount of zinc. This study could serve as thestartup point of future monitoring programs and providenew prospect of using Norway spruce needlesas the bioindicator of air pollution with hazardouselements on Balkan Peninsula since the fact that theNorway spruce natural populations inhabit wide geographicrange of the continental Europe, from the BalkanPeninsula, over European Alps to Scandinavia anda large-scale of altitude from 980 to 1860 m above sealevel.