ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Usability of Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
as a Biomonitor for Traffic-Originated Heavy
Metal Concentrations in Turkey
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1
Kastamonu University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Engineering, Kastamonu, Turkey
2
Kastamonu University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Landscape Architecture,
Kastamonu, Turkey
3
Kastamonu University, Arac Rafet Vergili Vocational School, Department of Forestry, Programs of Forestry
and Forestry Products, Kastamonu, Turkey
4
Kastamonu University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Environmental Engineering,
Kastamonu, Turkey
5
Kastamonu University, Institute of Science, Programs of Forest Engineering, Kastamonu, Turkey
Submission date: 2018-12-28
Final revision date: 2019-03-14
Acceptance date: 2019-05-08
Online publication date: 2019-10-24
Publication date: 2020-01-16
Corresponding author
Mehmet Cetin
Kastamonu University, Kastamonu University, Faculty of Architecture and , 37100, Kastamonu, Turkey
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(2):1051-1057
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ABSTRACT
Heavy metals are one of the most infamous air pollutants. They do not deteriorate easily in nature
and they tend to bioaccumulate in nature. Because of their significance in terms of potential damage
to human and environmental wellbeing, the monitoring of heavy metal pollution and identifying
risk-prone regions is of great importance. Bioindicators are the most important determinants of the
change in the concentration of heavy metals in the atmosphere. While plants play the biggest and most
important role in reducing pollution in all of its types, they are also the ideal bioindicators. However,
some plant species are better equipped to detect heavy metal accumulation than others. This study aims
to determine the usability potential of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris) in monitoring traffic-based heavy
metal concentrations. For this purpose, samples of Scotch pine individuals were collected from one
of the busiest highways in Turkey (along the Ankara-Istanbul route) from refuges at roadsides and at
distances of 3m, 10m, 30m, 50m, and 100m from the roadside. Some of the branches and needles of the
samples were also subjected to washing processes and the changes of Ni, Cr and Zn concentrations were
determined for these samples. The change of Ni, Cr and Zn concentrations depending on the distance to
the road, washing conditions and organelle were evaluated separately. We determined that Scotch pine is
a good biomonitor – especially for monitoring changes in Cr concentrations.