ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Selected
Organs of Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
and their Potential Use as Air Contamination
Bioindicators
Bernard Palowski1, Elżbieta Małkowska1, Renata Kurtyka2,
Joanna Szymanowska-Pułka3, Ewa Gucwa-Przepióra4, Łukasz Małkowski4,
Andrzej Woźnica5, Eugeniusz Małkowski2
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1Department of Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia,
Bankowa 12, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
2Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia,
Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
3Department of Biophysics and Morphogenesis of Plants, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection,
University of Silesia, Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
4Department of Botany and Nature Protection, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia,
Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
5Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia,
Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
Submission date: 2015-09-12
Final revision date: 2016-04-09
Acceptance date: 2016-04-12
Publication date: 2016-10-05
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2016;25(5):2085-2096
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ABSTRACT
We analyzed concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn in bark, leaves, young shoots, pericarp, and
seeds of Robinia pseudoacacia from several sites (three industrial cities and two rural villages) in southern
Poland. The objective of the study was to determine the possible usefulness of various organs and tissues of
this species for biomonitoring. The analyses showed that bark and leaves are organs that may serve as good
bioindicators. The lowest concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were found in one of the industrial cities in the
area. On the other hand, the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were similar in the rural areas when compared
to the concentrations observed in the cities. The high level of metal contamination of air in rural areas may
be a result of the long-range transport of emissions. Also, the use of bark and leaves of R. pseudoacacia
enables us to estimate the level of contamination by Fe and Cu of areas in the vicinity of railway tracks. On
the basis of the data presented in this paper and the data from references, a conclusion can be drawn that
the bark and leaves of R. pseudoacacia are good bioindicators of metal contamination of air in towns and
cities with different traffic intensities and within the surroundings of industrial plants and railway tracks.
R. pseudoacacia was also used for the first time to assess the long-range transport of emissions.