A preliminary study of elemental bioaccumulation on a Calymperes species in four different sites using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

In a study carried out among plants sampled from Colombo, the moss Calymperes was observed to accumulate air-borne metallic elements very efficiently directly from the atmosphere. Calymperes was used in this study as an indicator of aerial metallic burdens due to soil and anthropogenic pollution in 4 different study sites namely Colombo, Nawinna, Matara and Kurunegala. Concentrations of Fe, Ti, Pb, Br, As and S were measured by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence. Spectra were analysed using the AXIL program. Triplicate measurements of the samples were carried out. Highest accumulation of Pb, Br, and As was measured in Calymperes sampled from Colombo while lowest levels were measured from Kurunegala