Using Hylocomium splendens as a Bioindicator for the Long Range Transport of Pollutants to Arctic

• Main Author: Schick, Astrid
• Other Authors: Mikkelsen, Øyvind, Steinnes, Eliv
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: NTNU 2021
• Subjects: Arctic; Fid; Norway; Ny-Ålesund; Ny Ålesund
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2785507

Monitoring the effects of global pollutant transportation mechanisms in high Arctic areas has until recently, been neglected. These vulnerable ecosystems contain features that may amplify the accumulation of certain contaminates and provide insight into the state of human emissions when compared to other regions. The usage of biomonitors in long range transportation (LRT) studies is an established methodology and moss, specifically the species Hylocomium splendens, due to its widespread usage and unique accumulation properties was chosen for this thesis. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and various elements in the high Arctic area of Ny Ålesund as well in Trondheim and Southern Norway areas, were targeted over ten separate locations and 48 samples. Analysis of PAHs was performed by both high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence indicator detection and a diode-array detector (HPLC FID-DAD) and through an experimental tandem PAH and PCB analysis method with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Elemental analysis was carried out using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR ICP-MS). Of the organic pollutants, PAHs such as phenanthrene and pyrene were detected in the samples, but overall recovery was low and did not seem correlated to Arctic accumulation and no PCBs were detected in the samples. The elemental analysis revealed that Pb showed evidence of Arctic concentration when compared to other sampled areas and V, Cr, As, Cd, and Sn showed possible LRT accumulation when compared to Norwegian national moss survey data. Further study of metal, metalloid and PAH pollutant accumulation in Arctic areas is recommended for future studies.