Bryophytes as an Accumulator of Toxic Elements from the Environment: Recent Advances

Moss biomass as effective biosorbents for heavy metals in contaminated water

“…Bryophytes, which encompass mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, demonstrate notable proficiency in absorbing heavy metals, rendering them invaluable as biomonitors and bioindicators [ 16 , 17 ]. Mosses, in particular, excel at absorbing and accumulating hazardous substances, including potentially toxic elements (PTEs), often exceeding their physiological requirements [ 18 ], especially in polluted streams and urban areas [ 19 ]. The absence of roots [ 20 ] and the lack of a waxy cuticle layer on their leaf surfaces [ 21 ], which aids in pollutant absorption, enable them to directly absorb pollutants into their cells from the air rather than from substrates [ 20 ].…”