Biomonitoring of 210Po and 210Pb using lichens and mosses around coal-fired power plants in Western Turkey

Abstract Mosses and lichens are useful biological indicators of environmental contamination for a variety of metals and radionuclides of both natural and artificial origin. These plants lack a well-developed root system and rely largely on atmospheric deposition for nourishment. Therefore in the study, different lichens ( Cladonia convoluta , Cladonia foliacea ) and mosses ( Homalothecium sericeum , Hypnum lacunosum , Hypnum cupressiforme , Tortella tortuosa , Didymodon acutus , Syntrichia ruralis , Syntrichia intermedia , Pterogonium graciale , Isothecium alopecuroides , Pleurochatae squarrosa ) were collected around the Yatagan (Mugla), Soma (Manisa), Seyitomer – Tuncbilek (Kutahya) coal-fired power plants and investigated for potential use as biomonitors for 210 Po and 210 Pb deposition. While the activity concentrations of 210 Po and 210 Pb in lichens are in the ranges of 151 ± 7–593 ± 21 and 97 ± 5–364 ± 13 Bq kg −1 , for mosses the ranges for 210 Po and 210 Pb are 124 ± 5–1125 ± 38 and 113 ± 4–490 ± 17 Bq kg −1 , respectively. In the study, the moss samples were observed to accumulate more 210 Po and 210 Pb compared to lichens. While the most suitable biomonitor was a moss species ( H. lacunosum ) for Yatagan (Mugla), it was another moss species ( S. intermedia ) for Soma (Manisa) and Seyitomer – Tuncbilek (Kutahya) sites. 210 Po concentrations were found higher than 210 Pb concentrations at the all sampling stations.