Scientists' Contributions

The establishment of the East Hungarian Biomonitoring Network

G. Varbiro⁽¹⁾ and G. Borics⁽²⁾

⁽¹⁾Environmental Protection Inspectorate Transztiszaian Region

⁽²⁾University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology

    The laboratory microbial Ecology of the University of Debrecen (Hungary), working together with TIKOeFE (regional environmental protection inspectorate), created and developed (during the years 1996-1999) a new technique of biomonitoring based on algae growing on tree trunks. The method was used in the city of Debrecen, we would like to present the evaluation and the experience of this practise.

    Because of the lack of information about the air quality in Hungarian cities, and the growing demand of the public towards the quality of their environment we decided to start a programme called "East Hungarian Biomonitoring Network". The aim of the programme is to provide information about the air quality for the public, the decision-makers and the experts, by establishing an air pollution biomonitoring network in the main cities along the eastern border of Hungary. The following cities will be involved to the project: Miskolc, Nyˇregyh za, Debrecen, B‚k‚scsaba, Szeged. The target cities shall receive from Debrecen full expertise, as well as personal, logistic and financial assistance.

    Since the programme is strongly advertised to the public, local stakeholders (e.g. environmental NGOs, the public and young scholars) will be largely involved.

    The first part of the programme is planed to start by the end of 2000. It should also rise population awareness of the EU environmental standards through a visual assessment of the damages that pollution can cause on the vegetation and the habitat.

    Thanks to long-term collaboration with French colleagues of the INRA (laboratory of atmospheric pollution -Nancy-), a package of techniques is at our disposal, thus we can establish the air quality maps of cities (with respect to the following substances SO₂, NO_x, O₃, organic chemicals -PAH, benzene-, heavy metal, dust concentrations, mutagenic substances).