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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Monitoring moss reveals widespread deposition of airborne microplastics across the UK – practical lessons and recommendations
ClearDetermination of atmospherically deposited microplastics in moss samples
Researchers developed and evaluated methods for detecting atmospherically deposited microplastics in moss samples, adapting established moss biomonitoring frameworks used for heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants to enable both particle-based and mass-based microplastic analysis.
Potential Role of Mosses in Evaluating Airborne Microplastic Deposition in Terrestrial Ecosystems
This review examines the potential of mosses to serve as cost-effective biomonitors for tracking airborne microplastic deposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Preliminary studies indicate that mosses accumulate higher concentrations of microplastics than lichens, likely due to their physical structure. The study outlines steps needed to develop a standardized, reliable methodology for using mosses to monitor airborne microplastic pollution across both inhabited and remote regions.
Moss as a biomonitor for the atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic microfibres
Researchers used moss (Bryophyta) as a passive biomonitor to track atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic microfibres, finding that moss samples from various locations accumulated synthetic fibres reflecting local sources of airborne plastic contamination. The study establishes moss monitoring as a practical method for assessing microplastic atmospheric deposition without active collection equipment.
The Use of Mosses in Biomonitoring of Air Pollution in the Terrestrial Environment: A Review
This paper is not about microplastics; it reviews the use of mosses as biomonitors for air pollution by metals and organic compounds.
Air Quality Assessment by Moss Biomonitoring and Trace Metals Atmospheric Deposition
Researchers used moss biomonitoring with Hypnum cupressiforme across Albania to assess atmospheric deposition of trace metals, identifying anthropogenic pollution hotspots and demonstrating that moss can serve as a cost-effective tool for monitoring air quality and microplastic deposition at national scale.
Comparison of Lichens and Mosses as Biomonitors of Airborne Microplastics
Researchers compared lichens and mosses as biomonitors for airborne microplastics, finding that both organisms effectively capture and accumulate atmospheric microplastic particles, offering a simpler alternative to traditional labor-intensive sampling methods.
Accumulation of Atmospheric Metals and Nitrogen Deposition in Mosses: Temporal Development between 1990 and 2020, Comparison with Emission Data and Tree Canopy Drip Effects
Researchers analyzed 30 years of European moss monitoring data from 1990 to 2020, tracking temporal trends in atmospheric deposition of metals and nitrogen, with the 2020 campaign also including the first broad-scale measurement of microplastic accumulation in mosses.
Biomonitoring mit Moosen zur Erfassung atmosphärischer Deposition von Metallen, Stickstoff, persistenten organischen Verbindungen und Mikroplastik/Biomonitoring with mosses for the investigation of atmospheric deposition of metals, nitrogen, persistent organic compounds and microplastics
This report summarizes German moss biomonitoring data from 1990 to 2015, showing significant declines in heavy metal deposition but persistently high nitrogen levels, and presents early results from new methods for detecting microplastics in moss samples. Mosses accumulate airborne pollutants and serve as cost-effective tools for tracking atmospheric deposition trends.
Moss Bags as Biomonitors of Atmospheric Microplastic Deposition in Urban Environments
Researchers tested moss bags as a biomonitoring tool for measuring atmospheric microplastic deposition across an urban gradient in southern Ontario, Canada. They found that moss bags effectively captured microplastics, with higher deposition in more urbanized areas. The study demonstrates that moss-based monitoring is a practical, low-cost method for tracking airborne microplastic pollution in cities.
Biomonitoring of Airborne Microplastic Deposition in Semi-Natural and Rural Sites Using the Moss Hypnum cupressiforme
Researchers demonstrated that the native moss Hypnum cupressiforme can serve as a biomonitor of atmospheric microplastic deposition, detecting synthetic fibers and fragments at semi-natural and rural sites in southern Italy and revealing that airborne microplastic contamination extends well beyond urban areas.
Global ambient air quality monitoring: Can mosses help? A systematic meta-analysis of literature about passive moss biomonitoring
Researchers conducted a systematic review of 123 studies on moss-based passive biomonitoring, finding that mosses can serve as natural sensors for atmospheric deposition of heavy metals and organic pollutants, offering a cost-effective complement to conventional air quality monitoring networks especially in developing regions.
The temporal evolution of atmospheric microplastic deposition using sphagnum moss archives
Researchers analyzed long-term trends in atmospheric microplastic deposition at multiple sites, finding that deposition rates varied with season, land use, and meteorological conditions. The temporal data provide evidence that airborne microplastics have been accumulating in terrestrial ecosystems for decades.
Microplastics and Persistent organic pollutants in moss samples from Germany
Researchers analyzed moss samples from Germany for both microplastics and persistent organic pollutants to assess atmospheric deposition. Mosses act as passive collectors of airborne contaminants, and the study documents widespread co-exposure to plastic particles and legacy chemicals in terrestrial ecosystems.
Determination of atmospherically deposited microplastics in moss: Method development and performance evaluation
German researchers developed a new method called µPEEL to extract microplastics from moss samples for atmospheric deposition monitoring, enabling both particle-count (Raman) and mass-based (thermal desorption GC-MS) analysis while avoiding harsh chemicals. The method outperformed conventional Fenton reagent digestion on environmental greenness and data quality metrics. Mosses are already used to monitor atmospheric heavy metals and nitrogen, and this work expands their utility to tracking airborne microplastic fallout.
Evidence on the effectiveness of mosses for biomonitoring of microplastics in fresh water environment
Sphagnum moss was tested as a biomonitor for microplastic pollution in freshwater, and the moss successfully intercepted and retained plastic particles including fibers and fragments from stream water. The study establishes mosses as practical, low-cost biomonitoring tools for tracking microplastic contamination in freshwater environments.
Mapping of measured concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mosses and correlation of their surface estimations with maps on modelled atmospheric deposition in Central Europe
Researchers conducted a German pilot moss survey analyzing persistent organic pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and microplastics to validate new analytical methods and map the spatial distribution of atmospheric contaminants across the country.
Mapping of measured concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mosses and correlation of their surface estimations with maps on modelled atmospheric deposition in Central Europe
Researchers conducted a German pilot moss survey to validate analytical methods for organic contaminants and develop microplastic analysis methodology, mapping the spatial distribution of persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons across Germany.
Multivariate Analysis of Factors Influencing the Concentration of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Microplastics in Mosses Sampled Across Germany in 2020
Mosses growing across Germany were analyzed as living pollution sensors, and the results show that concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in mosses are driven by a combination of large-scale atmospheric drift and proximity to local industrial or agricultural sources. Microplastics in the mosses were harder to model statistically, with only styrene-butadiene rubber and polyethylene particles showing meaningful patterns linked to nearby sources. The study reinforces the value of national moss monitoring networks for tracking atmospheric pollution, but highlights that denser sampling is needed to reliably map microplastic deposition across a country.
In search of an optimal moss transplant biomonitor for airborne microplastics: Moss cubes
Researchers tested different moss-based sampler designs for monitoring airborne microplastics and found that cube-shaped samplers captured the most particles with the least variation between samples. The study suggests that effective moss transplant monitors should use sufficient moss mass, larger mesh openings, and a three-dimensional shape to maximize exposure from all directions.
Fine-tuning the use of moss transplants to map pollution by Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in urban areas
Researchers evaluated the use of mossphere transplants to map atmospheric deposition of potentially toxic elements in urban areas, finding that the devitalized moss bags accurately reflect spatial pollution gradients and can be fine-tuned for city-scale biomonitoring.
Comparison of Lichen and Moss Transplants for Monitoring the Deposition of Airborne Microfibers
Researchers compared lichen and moss transplants as tools for monitoring airborne microfiber pollution across urban sites in Italy. They found that lichens accumulated significantly more microfibers than mosses and were better at detecting differences between locations. The study suggests that lichen transplants offer a more effective and accessible biomonitoring approach for tracking airborne microplastic contamination in cities.
Assessment of the air quality in an industrial zone using active moss biomonitoring
This paper is not relevant to microplastics — it uses moss-bag biomonitoring to assess heavy metal air pollution near a metallurgical industrial facility in Tula, Russia.
The use of bioindicators to assess airborne microplastic deposition in remote peatlands of La Réunion
Using peatland mosses as bioindicators, researchers documented atmospheric microplastic deposition at remote sites on Reunion Island, finding that even isolated tropical peatlands receive measurable airborne microplastic inputs from distant sources.
Selection of sampling sites in Germany for the International Moss Survey 2020 using statistics and decision modelling
Researchers selected 25 moss sampling sites across Germany for the International Moss Survey 2020 using statistics and decision modeling, including pilot studies on moss bioindication for atmospheric deposition of persistent organic pollutants and microplastics, building on data from the 2015 Moss Survey.