The Use of Moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. as Bioindicator of Radionuclide Contamination in Industrial Areas of Upper Silesia

Mosses are good bioaccumulators of radionuclides and from the 60 of the last century, they are used as bioindicators of radioactive contamination in the environment. Concentration of impurities in moss represent the accumulation in mosses during the past 2-3 years. As a result, the moss composition analysis provides information on an average contamination within a few vegetation seasons. During our survey the measurements of radionuclide activity concentrations in P. schreberi transplanted from places relatively clean to heavily contaminated areas of Upper Silesia were carried out. An increase in the radionuclides activity concentrations in P. schreberi transplants may indicate not only deposition of the radionuclides itself, but also an influx of other pollutants. The results showed no relationship between the Pb-210 activity concentration and activity concentrations of Pb-214, Bi-214, also belonging to the uranium-radium decay series. The increased concentration of Pb-210 in P. schreberi may be the result of the radionuclide atmospheric deposition, which appears in the environment as a result of fossil fuels burning. Excess, allogeneic Pb-210 can be used as marker of environmental pollution. In the areas with its higher activity concentration increased pollution can be expected delivered, for example, by local industry. The Project received financial assistance from the funds of the National Science Centre, granted by force of the decision no. UMO-2013/09/B/NZ8/03340 (NCN).