Abstract
Parmelia tinctorum, epiphytic lichen sensitive to air pollutants, were collected around a steelworks in Eastern Harima area and ten components including mercury in the thallus were analyzed.
Mercury concentration of P.tinctorum decreased with the distance from the steelworks.
As a result of regression analysis between the mercury uptake into the thallus and the atmospheric mercury concentration, a significant correlation between the both elements was found.
These results suggested that P.tinctorum was useful as an indicator of atmospheric mercury contamination.
