Abstract
Solid waste incineration (SWI) can release numerous air pollutants although the geographic reach of emissions is not routinely monitored. While many studies use moss and lichens for biomonitoring trace elements, including around SWIs, few investigate the complex, multi-element footprint expected from SWI emissions. This study develops using native moss as a screening tool for SWI while also informing community concerns about an aging incinerator in rural Oregon, USA. Trained community volunteers helped collect 36 composite samples of epiphytic moss (Orthotrichum s.l.) along a 32-km transect from the SWI. We used ICP-MS to measure 40 elements in moss, including 14 rare earth elements (REEs) previously unexplored for SWI. We compared the elemental signatures of samples with an emissions profile for SWI and mod- eled relationships between element concentrations and distance from the facility using nonparametric regres- sion. The chemical signatures in moss pointed to SWI as a source, potentially through both stack and fugitive dust emissions. The strongest models described farther- dispersing elements, including mercury and cadmium (xR2 = 0.65 and 0.62, respectively), and suggested most deposition occurs within 5 to 10 km of the facility. Ele- ments often associated with soil and dust, like arsenic and chromium, exhibited localized peaks within 0.2 km of the incinerator (xR2 = 0.14–0.3). Three novel ele- ments—cesium and REEs europium and gadolinium— also showed promise as atmospheric tracers for SWI. Gadolinium, a contrast reagent for MRIs, could reflect medical waste incineration by the facility. We include additional analysis and discussion to help stakeholders use results effectively.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-13354-y
Funding Information
Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through 22-JV-11261979– 053 and 23-JV-11261978–035. This project was partly sup- ported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agricul- ture through Hatch Project KY006133 and by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) grant P30ES026529. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIEHS.
Repository Citation
Jovan, Sarah; Jacobson, Eleonore; Unrine, Jason M.; Jalili‑Jahani, Nasser; and McCune, Bruce, "Putting biomonitors to work: native moss as a screening tool for solid waste incineration" (2024). Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications. 272.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/markey_facpub/272
Notes/Citation Information
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