Mosses as an integrating tool for monitoring PAH atmospheric deposition: Comparison with total deposition and evaluation of bioconcentration factors. A year-long case-study

•Spatial and temporal trends of PAH atmospheric deposition were studied in a remote area.•Biomonitoring via moss was compared to PAH fluxes in total deposition.•Total deposition was determined via throughfall samples.•Seasonal variations of PAH content in moss and PAH fluxes followed a similar trend.•PAH fractionation between total deposition and the mosses occurs.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) atmospheric deposition was evaluated at a remote site in Northern Spain using moss biomonitoring with Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp., and by measuring the total deposition fluxes of PAHs. The year-long study allowed seasonal variations of PAH content in mosses to be observed, and these followed a similar trend to those of PAH fluxes in total deposition. Generally, atmospheric deposition of PAHs is greater in winter than in summer, due to more PAH emissions from domestic heating, less photoreactivity of the compounds, and intense leaching of the atmosphere by wet deposition. However, fractionation of these molecules between the environmental compartments occurs: PAH fluxes in total deposition and PAH concentrations in mosses are correlated with their solubility (r = 0.852, p < 0.01) and lipophilic properties (KOW, r = 0.768, p < 0.01), respectively. This annual study therefore showed that atmospheric PAH fluxes can be estimated with moss biomonitoring data if the bioconcentration or ‘enriching’ factors are known.

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