Scientists' Contributions

Biomonitoring air quality in urban agglomerations: the European Network EuroBionet

Andreas Klumpp, Wolfgang Ansel, Gabriele Klumpp & Anette Fomin

Institute for Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany

    Air pollution is still a prominent environmental problem in European cities and a major issue of European environmental policy. EuroBionet, the "European Network for the Assessment of Air Quality by the Use of Bioindicator Plants", was founded in 1999. The project is being co-ordinated by the University of Hohenheim and is currently consisting of ten cities from seven countries of the European Union. The participating cities are Barcelona/Catalonia (E), Copenhagen (DK), Ditzingen (D), Dsseldorf (D), Edinburgh (GB), Klagenfurt (A), Greater Lyon (F), Greater Nancy (F), Sheffield (GB), and Verona (I). At more than 80 monitoring sites the bioindicator plants tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Bel-W3), poplar (Populus nigra 'Brandaris'), spiderwort (Tradescantia sp. clone 4430), Italian rye grass (Lolium multiflorum italicum) and curly kale (Brassica oleracea acephala) are exposed according to standardised methods. Visible injuries and effects on growth parameters are assessed and the accumulation of toxic substances in leaves determined. The scientific programme is accompanied by a professional communication concept that includes an 'experience on site' concept, publicity campaigns and environmental education.

    The exposure of the ozone-sensitive tobacco cultivar Bel-W3 during eight exposure periods of two weeks each in the year 2000 resulted in a gradient from north and northwest of Europe to the southern and central regions with low levels of foliar injury in Denmark, the United Kingdom and northwestern Germany and medium to high values in France, Italy, Austria and particularly in southern Germany. An ozone-sensitive poplar clone showed reduced shoot growth and premature leaf loss at ozone-affected sites. The application of the tradescantia micronucleus test at the monitoring sites revealed an increased mutagenic potential at least at some of the monitoring sites which are exposed to strong traffic emissions. The results of heavy metal and sulphur analyses in rye grass samples generally show low to very low foliar sulphur and low to medium heavy metal concentrations. In some cities strongly elevated heavy metal values were detected at individual sites.

    The programme has been presented on several international events like the European Environment Festival in Copenhagen and the EXPO2000 in Hannover. Information pavillons ("Green Box") were installed in the participating cities which were visited by thousands of citizens. An intense publicity campaign accompanied the scientific and communicative activities of the project.