| Abstract: | Concentrations of arsenic and its geochemically associated elements, Ag, Co, Cu and Ni, were measured together with Al, Ba, Cd, Fe, Mn, Pb, Sr and Zn in aquatic bryophytes. These bryophytes originated from some of the arsenic mineralization zones of the Klodzko-Zloty Stok granodiorite massif and its metamorphic envelope (Sudetes Mts., Poland) and from identical zones of the east Sudetic Rychlebske Mts. and Jesenik Mts. (Czech Republic). Concentrations of As in all examined populations were higher than background values (1 μg/g dry weight) culminating in an average maximum of 6270 μg/g in Chiloscyphus pallescens from a stream draining an area with former arsenic and gold mining near Zloty Stok.This survey has shown that aquatic bryophytes accumulate the examined elements to a high degree especially if growing in areas with mineral deposits. This was demonstrated by strong positive correlations between Ba, Sr, Zn concentrations in water and Platyhypnidium rusciforme. |
