Research highlights: natural passive samplers – plants as biomonitors

Abstract

In the past decade, interest in boosting the collection of data on environmental pollutants while reducing costs has spurred intensive research into passive samplers, instruments that monitor the environment through the free flow of chemical species. These devices, although relatively inexpensive compared to active sampling technologies, are often tailored for collection of specific contaminants or monitoring of a single phase, typically water or air. Plants as versatile, natural passive samplers have gained increased attention in recent years due to their ability to absorb a diverse range of chemicals from the air, water, and soil. Trees, lichens, and other flora have evolved exquisite biological features to facilitate uptake of nutrients and water from the ground and conduct gas exchange on an extraordinary scale, making them excellent monitors of their surroundings. Sampling established plant specimens in a region also provides both historical and spatial data on environmental contaminants at relatively low cost in a non-invasive manner. This Highlight presents several recent publications that demonstrate how plant biomonitoring can be used to map the distribution of a variety of pollutants and identify their sources.

Air quality in post-mining towns: tracking potentially toxic elements using tree leaves

“…Leaves of suitable plant species have been commonly used to detect spatial and temporal enrichment of PTEs and other particulate matter (PM)-bound contaminants in urbanized contexts (Aničić Urošević et al, 2019;Baldantoni et al, 2020;Lin, 2015;Monaci et al, 2000;Terzaghi et al, 2020;Xiong et al, 2014). The capacity of certain perennial tree leaves to entrap PM and effectively collect atmospheric deposition of PTEs has found recent compelling scientific evidence (Chiam et al, 2019;Corada et al, 2021;Wang et al, 2015;Yin et al, 2019), which prompted further research to identify trees and other plants species to design residential green spaces having a beneficial contribution in mitigating airborne pollution in urban environments (Esposito et al, 2019;Han et al, 2020;Terzaghi et al, 2021).…”

Heavy metal concentrations in floodplain soils of the Innerste River and in leaves of wild blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L. agg.) growing within and outside the floodplain: the legacy of historical mining activities in the Harz Mountains (Germany)

“…Therefore, knowledge of heavy metal levels in the environment is important for assessing metal-related ecological risks in an area (Nadgórska-Socha et al 2017). Biomonitoring is frequently used to assess metal levels in the environment (Lin 2015). Vascular plants take up metals primarily (but not exclusively) from the soil via their roots, and plant biomonitoring can therefore provide a useful tool for geochemical risk assessment (Bianchini et al 2012).…”

In silico Predictive Phytotoxicity Modeling of lactuca sativa of Personal Care Product Ingredients

“…Plants are supposed to be one of the essential sensors of nature in depicting environmental pollution due to their overall interactions with all compartments of the environment (Lin 2015). Thesenaturallyoccurringindicatorsorpopularlyknownasbioindicatorsarecapableofdepicting thepositiveandnegativeimpactsofsubstancesonecosystemsandtheireffectsonthesociety.The degreeofcontaminations,favoredandnotfavoredactionofpollutantonalivingbeingandharmful impactoftoxicantstoplantsarefrequentlypredictedbybioindicatorssuchasHylocomiumsplendens, Wolffia globosa forheavymetals,lichensandbryophytesforairqualityofground,cynophytafor theexcessiverichnessofnutrientsinwaterreservoirlikelake (HoltandMilleretal.2010;Parmaret al2016;Thakuretal.2013).Phytotoxicitydealswiththerateofgerminationandplantletgrowth.…”