Mosses as Indicators of Atmospheric Pollution of Trace Metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn and Zn) in the Vicinity of Coal-Fired Brick Kilns in North-Eastern Suburbs of Islamabad, Pakistan

Determination of toxic elements Cd, Pb and other heavy metals has been carried out for Rawalpindi - Islamabad region using the moss monitoring technique. The carpet moss samples (Hypnum Cupressiforme) were collected over an area of 196 km² around lignite/coal-fired brick kilns for regular periods of time during 1997–1999. The elements were extracted into solution with multiacid digestion and then analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The metal contents in moss samples from sites adjacent to coal-fired brick kilns was higher as compared to samples collected from the sites away from that sources. The results obtained by the "BIOMONITORING" technique, for the first time in this area, are presented.