Studies of Bioindicators in Determination of Environmental Degradation Degree

Biological samples are commonly used as bioindicators to control and monitor environmental pollution as well as to identify and sometimes even predict changes connected with contamination sources. In this paper, the concentrations of Ba, Cd, Cr, Mn, Pb, Sr were analyzed using the ICP-OES and ICP-MS methods in moss, lichen and needles samples. The SEM technique was adopted for assessment of the influence of environmental pollution on morphology and presence of atmospheric particulates on the surface of investigated bioindicators. The method was tested on Mixed Polish Herbs INCT-MPH-2, Pine Needles 1575a and Lichen CRM 482 with good recoveries achieved.