ABSTRACT
The emission of heavy metals and other pollutants as particulate matter into the atmosphere is a major pollution issue of concern in Nigeria especially in major cities like Warri. This affects both the indoor and outdoor air quality which in turn poses a great health threat to man and even plants. Vehicular exhausts, combustion of fossil fuels, pyrometallurgical processes, and industrial waste gases are the various anthropogenic activities through which these gaseous pollutants are introduced into the atmosphere. This research discovered the impacts of particulate gaseous pollutants from these sources on heavy metal concentrations of the atmosphere in selected locations in the city of Warri. There are various methods of monitoring atmospheric heavy metal concentrations among which bio-monitoring is the easiest, cheapest and most consistent. Bio-monitoring is the use of living organism to measure environmental variables. In this research, Moss plant (Dicranum scoparium) was used to monitor the concentrations of atmospheric heavy metals in Warri. Moss samples collected in November from 15 different locations, including a control site, were analysed for ten heavy metals; Hg, Pb, Cr, Mn, Fe, As, Cd, Ni, Cu and Zn. The various concentrations of Heavy metals as determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) were found to significantly differ from the control site in this order: Fe> Mn> Zn> Cu> Pb> Cd> Ni> Cr> Hg> As.
KEYWORDS: Bio-monitoring, Pollution, Spectrophotometer, Moss plant, Heavy metals, anthropogenic activities
