Chemometrical classification of biomonitoring analytical data for heavy metals. Part II. Mosses as bioindicators

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Abstract
The present paper deals with chemometric interpretation of the bioindicating ability of mosses for heavy metal pollution in urban and rural areas of Greece. Fourteen different moss species collected at twelve sampling sites are included in the study. Four heavy metals concentrations (lead, zinc, copper and cadmium) are determined in each of the totally 61 various samples (with respect to plant speciation and site characteristics). Cluster and principal components analysis are applied as classification and display approaches to reveal, on one hand, specific information about mosses specificity towards pollution species and, on the other hand, response of the sampling location towards bioindication by the use of mosses. It is shown that no specific differentiation with respect to the biotope or mosses’ family is proved probably, due to lack of sampling design strategy rather than to equal bioindicator response or similar ecological situation in the regions of sampling. Specific detection is proved mainly in region with well‐expressed pollution.