Uptake and release of divalent zinc ions from aqueous solutions by aquatic moss Fontinalis antipyretica.
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abstract
Aquatic mosses are able to accumulate zinc and some other heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions and partially
release them when exposed to metal-free water. They play an important role in the assessment of toxic elements in
water. The advantage of mosses over direct water sampling is that the use of the former lessens spatial and temporal
variations, enhances the level of contaminant identification by concentrating toxic elements, and provides information
relative to the bioavailable species. However, to make the concentration of metals that can be measured in mosses a
reliable indicator of the concentration of toxic elements in the water, we need to model the bioaccumulation
phenomenon. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine zinc uptake and release kinetics by the aquatic moss
Fontinalis antipyretica, as this species is widely spread in Portuguese rivers and the majority of the European countries.
Zinc was chosen for this study because (i) it acts as micro-nutrient for plant growth in low concentration values; (ii) it is
toxic when in excess inhibiting the growth and (iii) it is present in many industrial wastewaters and mine drainage waters
discharged into rivers and lakes.
