Identification of proper species that can be used to monitor and decrease airborne Sb pollution

Abstract

Heavy metal concentrations, which have increased continuously in the environment this century due to anthropogenic factors, severely threaten human and environmental health. Antimony (Sb) is one of the most toxic and harmful heavy metals in terms of human and environmental health. Therefore, the priority research subjects are monitoring the alteration of Sb pollution in the airborne and reducing pollution. This study was conducted to conclude the proper species to monitor and drop airborne Sb contamination on trees grown in Düzce, the 5th most polluted European city. This study examined samples taken from Pseudotsuga menziesii, Cupressus arizonica, Pinus pinaster, Picea orientalis, and Cedrus atlantica, and the Sb concentration changes based on tree species, route, tissue, and age range in the last 40 years were evaluated. The study hypothesizes that Sb concentration varies depending on (1) tree species, (2) direction, (3) plant tissue, and (4) age range, all confirmed in this study. In conclusion, the maximum concentrations were achieved in the outer bark and east (5.45 µg g-1) and north directions (6.72 µg g-1), with high traffic density. In addition, the mining and industrial places (sources of metal pollution) are not close to the study area. Therefore, it was concluded that traffic pollution was the primary source of Sb pollution in the study area. The study revealed that C. arizonica is the most suitable species for monitoring and reducing the change in Sb pollution because the highest Sb concentration (4.47 µg g-1) in wood (the largest organ) was obtained in C. arizonica.