ISSN 2375-1134
African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 11 (6), pp. 001-009, June, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Investigating the Potential of Lichens as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution from Motor Vehicle Sources
Ali Aslan1, Arzu Çiçek2, Kenan Yazici3, Yalçın Karagöz4, Metin Turan5*, Ferda Akkuẟ5 and Omer Selim Yildirim6
1Department of Biology, Kazim Karabekir Education Faculty, Atatürk University, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
2Applied Research Centre for Environmental Problems, Anadolu University, Eskiẟehir, Turkey.
3Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Arts, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey.
4Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Atatürk University, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
5Department of Ortohophatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
Accepted 15 July, 2024
Abstract
The contamination of heavy metals released by traffic activities on roadside soils and crops are important problems in developed and developing countries for decades. An assessment of the extent of pollution in roadside soils is a key procedure to protect their ecological function and sustainable agriculture. The objectives of this study were to determine heavy metal contamination of roadside soils that originated from motor vehicles through the use of eight different lichens species situated along D-950 motorway in Erzurum. The results showed that the contamination of Pb, Cr, Cu, Cd, and Ni in roadside soils stemmed mainly from traffic activities, especially for Pb and Cd in this study area judging by their distribution patterns and their enrichment factors. Some of the lichen species such as Xanthoria candelaria (L.) Th. Fr., Lecanora muralis (Schreb.) Rabenh. and Xanthoria elegans (Link) Th. Fr., present in the region can be used to monitor pollution of traffic origin and X. candelaria, in particular, is a very good indicator of pollution of traffic origin. This kind of lichen could be an easy and cost-effective means of air pollution monitoring.
Key words: Bioindicator, enrichment factor, heavy metal pollution, lichen, traffic pollution.