Lead levels in moss are as much as 600 times higher in older Portland neighborhoods where lead-sheathed telecommunications cables were once used compared to lead levels in nearby rural areas, a new study of urban moss has found.
Lead levels in moss are as much as 600 times higher in older Portland neighborhoods where lead-sheathed telecommunications cables were once used compared to lead levels in nearby rural areas, a new study of urban moss has found.
The findings raise concerns about lead exposure in pre-1960 neighborhoods where the cables were common and in some cases are still in place even though they are no longer in use, said Alyssa Shiel, an environmental geochemist at Oregon State University, and the study’s lead author.
Lead is a highly toxic metal. Children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, which can lead to developmental delays, difficulty learning and behavioral issues.
Read more at: Orgeon State University
Orthotrichum lyelli, a type of moss typically found growing on trees, is an effective air monitoring system because it has a wide surface area to collect contaminants that settle out of the air around it. (Photo Credit: Alyssa Shiel, Oregon State University)
