Air pollution studies in Opole Region, Poland, using the moss biomonitoring technique and neutron activation analysis

Biomonitoring of multielement atmospheric deposition using terrestrial moss is a well-established technique in Europe. In October 2006 30 moss samples of Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi were collected around the town of Opole, capital of the agricultural Opole Region, situated between two industrial regions of Poland: the Silesia-Krakow region in the east and the Legnica-Glogow Copper Basin in the west. A total of 34 elements including a number of toxic metals and rare earths were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis using epithermal neutrons at the IBR-2 reactor of FLNP JINR. The interpretation of the obtained results points to pronounced contamination of the sampled area with element pollutants such as As, Sb, V, Ni, Mo, etc. at levels similar to those in the neighboring industrial regions. It is an evidence of regional atmospheric transport of pollutants in addition to local pollution sources.