Hydrogen sulphide emission in lichens as a response to low concentration
SO2 fumigation was investigated. In an
open flow-through system several lichen species were fumigated with 36
ppb
SO2. Two species were also
fumigated with higher concentrations (72, 119, 122 and 198 ppb SO2).
Hydrogen sulphide emission was
monitored concurrently by cryogenic trapping and analysis with gas chromatography.
All tested species increased
H2S emission significantly in response to fumigation with 36
ppb
SO2. Parmelina tiliacea (L.) Hale and Cladina
rangiferina (L.) Wigg. released significantly more H2S
(0·098±0·015 and 0·073±0·013
pmol
H2S g−1 d. wt s−1,
respectively) than Parmelina quercina (Ach.) Hale,
Ramalina menziesii Tayl. and Parmelia sulcata Tayl.
(0·028±0·01, 0·025±0·014 and
0·023±0·013 pmol H2S g−1
d. wt
s−1, respectively). Release of H2S in Hypogymnia
physodes was enhanced by increasing SO2 concentrations
up to
72 ppb SO2. No significant difference in H2S
emission in the dark vs. in the light was found. Generally, no correlation
was
found between photosynthetic
activity and H2S emission for the tested species. Uptake of
SO2 was similar for all species, at
24·7±5·6 pmol SO2 g−1
d. wt
s−1
in 36 ppb SO2 and increasing at greater SO2 concentrations.
Therefore, H2S-S
release represents only 0·11–0·74% of SO2-S
uptake.