2
P. Lazo et al.
level of atmospheric contaminants. Metals are not biodegradable and are stable in the
environment. They are notable for their wide environmental dispersion, the tendency
to be accumulated in the selected tissues of the human body; and for the overall
toxicity even at relatively low concentration of exposure (Hu 2002). Approximately
30 metals/metalloids (Be, B, Li, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Fe, As, Se, Sr, Mo,
Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Cs, Ba, W, Pt, Au, Hg, Pb, and Bi) are potentially toxic
to humans (Morais et al. 2012). Trace metals of primary concern for human health
and natural environment include As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, Se, V, and Zn (Dore
et al. 2014). The elements As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb pose main threats to human health
during the exposure (Järup 2003) and some others, like Zn, Cu and Fe, are essential
to life and play irreplaceable roles, but may turn harmful at certain content of exposure (Hu 2002). Cd, Al, Hg, Fe, Pb and As are classified as prominent metals which
may cause adverse health effects (da Silva et al. 2005), and Cr, Ni, V, Co and As
ions are classified as carcinogenic because they may perform red/ox reactions in the
biological systems (Rehman et al. 2017).
The pollutants emitted into the atmosphere deposited at the Earth’s surface where
they accumulate in soil, sediment, and biota of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
(Schröder et al. 2016) and may enter in air as wind blown fine mineral dust particles.
Several toxic metals and organic compounds are trapped to the fine particulate matter
(FPM) and transported in the environment as FPM. There is increasing interest in
the atmospheric transport of mineral dust that is believed to play an important role
in several marine biogeochemical processes (Prospero et al. 2002), geochemical and
geophysical processes, and negative effects on human health (Prospero 1999). Soil
dust is a major constituent of airborne particles transported over long distances in the
global atmosphere (Prospero 1999) and may show a large time and space variability
of TM in the air (Lammel et al. 2003). The presence of FPM in the air may cause
several health problems that make us more vulnerable to different health diseases,
such as respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, and lung cancer (Kelly
and Fussell 2015). The evaluation of the role and the behaviour of toxic species/or
compounds associated to airborne FPM is important for formulating effective control
strategies and reducing the human health risk (Schroeder et al. 1987).
Air quality became an important environmental issue that needs continuous monitory. It could be monitored by measuring the concentration of pollutants in the
air or directly on deposits by building models that describe the transport and the
level of air pollutants. Besides the classic monitoring methods that use conventional
measuring techniques, an increasing interest exist in developing the bioindicative
systems that usually provide relative and integrated information which permits the
evaluation and the assessment of the environment (Markert et al. 2003). The effects
of air quality to the humans and/or ecosystems directly linked with different factors
such as the concentration level, the deposition rate and the toxicity degree of the
contaminants, the exposure degree and the vulnerability of target exposure groups
to the specific contaminants. Biomonitoring uses different plants and vegetations to
detect the deposition, accumulation, and distribution of contaminants in ecosystems.
Different types of plants and vegetation have been successfully used to monitory the
levels of atmospheric trace metal deposition (Schilling and Lehman 2002). Among
P. Lazo et al.
level of atmospheric contaminants. Metals are not biodegradable and are stable in the
environment. They are notable for their wide environmental dispersion, the tendency
to be accumulated in the selected tissues of the human body; and for the overall
toxicity even at relatively low concentration of exposure (Hu 2002). Approximately
30 metals/metalloids (Be, B, Li, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Fe, As, Se, Sr, Mo,
Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Cs, Ba, W, Pt, Au, Hg, Pb, and Bi) are potentially toxic
to humans (Morais et al. 2012). Trace metals of primary concern for human health
and natural environment include As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, Se, V, and Zn (Dore
et al. 2014). The elements As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb pose main threats to human health
during the exposure (Järup 2003) and some others, like Zn, Cu and Fe, are essential
to life and play irreplaceable roles, but may turn harmful at certain content of exposure (Hu 2002). Cd, Al, Hg, Fe, Pb and As are classified as prominent metals which
may cause adverse health effects (da Silva et al. 2005), and Cr, Ni, V, Co and As
ions are classified as carcinogenic because they may perform red/ox reactions in the
biological systems (Rehman et al. 2017).
The pollutants emitted into the atmosphere deposited at the Earth’s surface where
they accumulate in soil, sediment, and biota of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
(Schröder et al. 2016) and may enter in air as wind blown fine mineral dust particles.
Several toxic metals and organic compounds are trapped to the fine particulate matter
(FPM) and transported in the environment as FPM. There is increasing interest in
the atmospheric transport of mineral dust that is believed to play an important role
in several marine biogeochemical processes (Prospero et al. 2002), geochemical and
geophysical processes, and negative effects on human health (Prospero 1999). Soil
dust is a major constituent of airborne particles transported over long distances in the
global atmosphere (Prospero 1999) and may show a large time and space variability
of TM in the air (Lammel et al. 2003). The presence of FPM in the air may cause
several health problems that make us more vulnerable to different health diseases,
such as respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, and lung cancer (Kelly
and Fussell 2015). The evaluation of the role and the behaviour of toxic species/or
compounds associated to airborne FPM is important for formulating effective control
strategies and reducing the human health risk (Schroeder et al. 1987).
Air quality became an important environmental issue that needs continuous monitory. It could be monitored by measuring the concentration of pollutants in the
air or directly on deposits by building models that describe the transport and the
level of air pollutants. Besides the classic monitoring methods that use conventional
measuring techniques, an increasing interest exist in developing the bioindicative
systems that usually provide relative and integrated information which permits the
evaluation and the assessment of the environment (Markert et al. 2003). The effects
of air quality to the humans and/or ecosystems directly linked with different factors
such as the concentration level, the deposition rate and the toxicity degree of the
contaminants, the exposure degree and the vulnerability of target exposure groups
to the specific contaminants. Biomonitoring uses different plants and vegetations to
detect the deposition, accumulation, and distribution of contaminants in ecosystems.
Different types of plants and vegetation have been successfully used to monitory the
levels of atmospheric trace metal deposition (Schilling and Lehman 2002). Among