Currently there are three companies producing bitumen from the Athabasca Oil Sands Region located near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Extraction of bitumen produces solid (sand) and liquid (water with suspended fine particles) tailings material, called oil sands process affected-materials (OSPM). These waste materials are stored on site due to a zero discharge policy and must be reclaimed when operations end. The OSPM is known to contain naphthenic acids (NAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and has high pH and salinity. A possible method of reclamation is the wet landscape approach, which involves using OSPM to form wetlands that would mimic natural wetland ecological functioning. This study investigated the effects of wetlands formed with OSPM on wood frog larvae (<i>Rana sylvatica</i>), using endpoints including survival, growth, time to metamorphosis, hormonal status, and detoxification enzyme induction [ethoxyresorufin-o-dealkylase (EROD) activity].<p> <i>In-situ</i> caging studies were completed in 2006 and 2007. Four wetlands were studied in 2006 and 14 wetlands were studied in 2007. The 2006 season saw a host of problems that were resolved for the 2007 season. In 2006, tadpole survival did not differ among reference wetlands and old OSPM-affected wetlands but there was 100% mortality of tadpoles in the young OSPM-affected sites that contain the highest concentration of toxic components. Results were similar in 2007, with tadpoles raised in young OSPM-affected wetlands having 41.5%, 62.6%, and 54.7% higher tadpole mortality than old OSPM-affected, young reference, and old reference wetlands, respectively. In 2007, tadpoles from young OSPM-affected sites had delayed metamorphosis (12 days longer than tadpoles from old reference wetlands and 18 days longer than tadpoles in old OSPM-affected wetlands). The thyroid hormone ratios of tadpoles in young OSPM-affected wetlands were between 25% and 42% lower than tadpoles in all other wetlands groups. The EROD activity of tadpoles in young OSPM-affected wetlands was an average 223% higher than those in old OSPM-affected wetlands, showing us that tadpoles were responding to higher levels of contaminants in young OSPM-affected wetlands. Size differences were only noted in 2007, most likely not as a result of exposure to OSPM, but due to differences in population density. The results of this study lead us to believe that toxicity due to OSPM decreases as wetlands get older and OSPM-affected wetlands could support native amphibian populations if they are allowed to mature. Since we considered wetlands to be old if they were seven years or older and the fact that old-OSPM wetlands showed effects on tadpoles similar to those of reference wetlands and showed much less toxicity than young OSPM-affected wetlands, we believe wetlands that are at least seven years old would sustain amphibian life.

Excessive sedimentation is a major stressor to ecosystem health in freshwater systems globally. Benthic macroinvertebrates are excellent bioindicators of ecosystem health because they have a range of environmental tolerances and are typically associated with certain substrate types. This study tested the hypothesis that sedimentation is a driver of benthic macroinvertebrate communities by determining their responses to increased deposited sediment levels in the Northern Great Plains using both experimental and survey approaches. In both approaches, the effects of deposited sediment were isolated, the responses of specific indicator invertebrates were characterized and finally, indices that commonly respond to deposited sediment were analyzed for their sensitivity. At the community level, the overall multivariate redundancy model was not significant and deposited sediment accounted for only 0.2% of the total variation in species composition in the river survey. Indicator species analysis identified taxa that were associated with sediment impairment classes in both studies. Index sensitivities indicated that Percent Swimmers responded to sediment and can potentially be used as an index of deposited sediment in this region, however this index was not sensitive to sediment in the landscape-scale survey. Although individual taxa that responded to sediment deposition may be used as bioindicators of sediment impairment in further studies, the relatively small effect of sediment at the community level and on univariate composition metrics suggests benthic macroinvertebrate communities are adapted to deposited sediment in the Northern Great Plains.

Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-12-15Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:18:45Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 chagas_gc_me_rcla.pdf: 335458 bytes, checksum: 31bbe404f398672a11d5fb2e0903d8d3 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Caranguejos de água doce Trichodactylus fluviatilis (Crustacea: Decapoda) coletados em dois sítios da Bacia do Rio Corumbataí nos períodos seco e chuvoso foram avaliados como bioindicadores para Al, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn. Os decápodos foram necropsiados, sendo brânquias, hepatopâncreas e músculos removidos. Foram coletadas também amostras de água e sedimento nos mesmos locais de coleta dos T. fluviatilis. Os metais foram determinados por Espectrometria de Emissão Óptica com Plasma Acoplado Indutivamente e os resultados obtidos comparados através de análise de variânça (ANOVA), teste de Tukey e análises de correlação. Diferença significativa entre os sexos foi observada somente para as concentrações de Zn (macho > fêmea). Comparando as concentrações nos tecidos de T. fluviatilis, o Al foi encontrado em maiores concentrações nos hepatopâncreas em relação aos músculos. As concentrações de Cu encontradas nas brânquias foram maiores em relação aos outros tecidos. As concentrações de Fe foram menores nos músculos. As concentrações de Mn foram significativamente diferentes nos três tecidos (hepatopâncreas > brânquias > músculos) e as concentrações de Zn obedeceram a seguinte seqüência: músculo > hepatopâncreas > brânquias. O Mn e Zn foram encontrados em maiores concentrações nos caranguejos coletados no período seco. Os metais Al, Fe e Mn foram encontrados em maiores concentrações nos caranguejos coletados no sítio 2. Não foi observada diferença significativa entre as concentrações de Al, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn determinadas nos caranguejos e o comprimento da carapaça, o que sugere um processo de acumulação dos metais pelo animal. As concentrações de Cu nos caranguejos refletiram as frações potencialmente biodisponíveis do elemento no sedimento. As concentrações de Al e Zn nos caranguejos refletiram a composição geológica... / Freshwater crabs Trichodactylus fluviatilis (Crustacea: Decapoda) collected in two sites in the Corumbataí River basin during the dry and rainy seasons were evaluated as bioindicators for Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. Necropsies were conducted on the decapods and their gills, hepatopancreas, and muscles were removed. Water and sediment samples were also collected at the same sites as the T. fluviatilis. Metals were determined using optic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma and results were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey test, and correlation analyses. Significant differences were observed between sexes only for concentrations of Zn (male > female). Comparing concentrations in the tissues of T. fluviatilis, Al was found in higher concentrations in the hepatopancreatic tissues than in the muscles. Concentrations of Cu in the gills were higher compared to other tissues. Concentrations of Fe were lower in the muscles. Concentrations of Mn were significantly different in the three tissues (hepatopancreatic tissue > gills > muscles) and concentrations of Zn followed the sequence: muscle > hepatopancreatic tissue > gills. Mn and Zn were found in higher concentrations in crabs collected in the dry season. Al, Fe, and Mn were found in higher concentrations in crabs collected at site 2. No significant differences in concentrations of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were observed in crabs of differing shell lengths, which suggests a process of metal accumulation in the animal. The concentrations of Cu in the crabs reflect the potentially bioavailable fractions of the element in the sediment. The concentrations of Al and Zn in the crabs reflected the geological composition of the region and the soluble fraction, respectively. The concentrations of Fe and Mn did not reflect the soluble and potentially bioavailable concentrations of the metals during the collection... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) has encouraged considerable research on the development of water quality bioindicators. Seagrasses, that are highly sensitive to direct and indirect anthropogenic stress, and specified as quality elements from the WFD, have been at the center of this effort. In this study the use of Cymodocea nodosa, a widely distributed angiosperm in the Mediterranean Sea, as a bioindicator of anthropogenic stress was tested. Key biotic features of two meadows growing in locations of contrasting ecological status in the N. Aegean Sea, Greece, were sampled and analysed following a hierarchical designed approach. Plants from the degraded meadow (Nea Karvali) were found to have significantly (p<0.05) longer leaves, higher N and P (%) content and lower C/N ratio in their leaves than the less degraded-pristine (Brasidas and/or Thasos) meadows. The application of chlorophyll fluorescence as an easily measurable indicator of the anthropogenic stress has been tested before with limited success. This study, based on a large amount of measurements (ca.500 per meadow) carried out after a short acclimation period in the laboratory under constant temperature and irradiance conditions, showed significantly higher (p<0.05) ΔF/Fm’ and Fm values at plants from the degraded than from the pristine meadows. Three sets of laboratory 8-days experiments were carried out under optimal growth temperature (21±1.5oC) in order to investigate cause-effects relationships between the main local stressors (nutrients-N, P, irradiance and heavy metal-Cu) to shoots collected from differently impacted meadows. High nutrient concentrations (30μΜ Ν-ΝΟ3; 2μM P-PO4) had a significant effect (p<0.05) on ΔF/Fm’ only on shoots from the pristine site. Low irradiance (37 μmol photons m-2 s-1) resulted in a significant increase (p<0.05) of ΔF/Fm’, while high copper concentrations (>4.7 μM) had the opposite effect. Through these experiments light availability and nutrients were identified as the main factor that affects the meadows health.

El lufenuron un insecticida del grupo de los benzilureas, el cual interfiere con la síntesis de la quitina que causa una inhibición en la muda de los insectos. Se evaluó el efecto tóxico del lufenuron sobre seis organismos bioindicadores de calidad ambiental. Se desarrollaron los bioensayos con el lufenuron sobre seis organismos bioindicadores de calidad ambiental: Chlorella vulgaris (Beijerinck, 1890), Artemia franciscana (Kellogg, 1906), Daphnia magna (Straus, 1820), Carassius auratus (Linnaeus, 1758), Microorganismos de Suelo y Eisenia foetida (Savigny, 1826). Se utilizó el análisis de varianza (ANDEVA) con prueba de Tukey y con el Probit se calcularon los parámetros ecotoxicológicos. Los resultados son los siguientes, C. vulgaris (CI50<2,46 mg i.a.·L-1 a 96 h), A. franciscana (CL50= 11,41 μg i.a.·L-1 a 48 h), D. magna (CL50= 0,05 μg i.a.·L-1 a 48h), D. magna (NOEC= 0,00005 mg i.a.·L-1 / LOEC= 0,0001 mg i.a.·L-1 para el numero de crías vivas a 21 d), C. auratus (NOEC= 0, 061 mg i.a.·L-1/ LOEC= 0.122 mg i.a.·L-1 para el porcentaje de mortalidad acumulada a 26 d), Microorganismos de Suelo (NOEC= 1820 mg i.a.·g-1 / LOEC> 1820 mg i.a.·g-1) y E. foetida (DL50= 206,31 mg i.a.·Kg-1 a 14 d ; NOEC< 21,2 mg i.a.·Kg-1 / LOEC= 21,2 mg i.a.·Kg-1 a 14 d). Se observó la siguiente secuencia de ecotoxicidad decreciente mediado por los efectos letales y subletales producidos durante los bioensayos con los seis organismos: D. magna > A. franciscana > C. vulgaris > C. auratus > E. foetida > Microorganismos del suelo. Daphnia magna fue el organismo bioindicador más sensible al lufenuron y el más resistente fueron los microorganismos del suelo. El lufenuron presentó mayores porcentajes de mortalidad e inhibición en los organismos acuáticos que en los terrestres. Se concluyó que los seis organismos escogidos para evaluar los posibles daños ambientales del insecticida lufenuron, ayudaron a clarificar que este compuesto daña principalmente la cadena trófica acuática que la terrestre, siendo más sensibles los ecosistemas acuáticos que los terrestres que presentan riesgo bajo.Lufenuron is an insecticide from the group of benzylureas, which interferes with the synthesis of chitin causing inhibition of insect moulting. The toxic effect of lufenuron on six environmental quality bioindicator organisms was evaluated. Bioassays with lufenuron were developed on six environmental quality bioindicators: Chlorella vulgaris (Beijerinck, 1890), Artemia franciscana (Kellogg, 1906), Daphnia magna (Straus, 1820), Carassius auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Eisenia foetida (Savigny, 1826). The analysis of variance (ANDEVA) was used with Tukey's test and with the Probit we calculated the ecotoxicological parameters. The results are as follows: C. vulgaris (IC50 <2,46 mg i.a.·L-1 at 96 h), A. franciscana (LC50 = 11,41 μg i.a.·L-1 at 48 h), D. magna LC50 = 0,05 μg i.a.·L-1 at 48 h), D. magna (NOEC = 0,00005 mg i.a.·L-1 / LOEC = 0,0001 mg i.a.·L-1 for the number of live offspring at 21 d), C. auratus (NOEC = 0,061 mg i.a.·L-1 / LOEC = 0.122 mg i.a.·L-1 for the percentage of accumulated Mortality at 26 d), Soil Microorganisms (NOEC = 1820 mg i.a.·g-1/ LOEC> 1820 mg i.a.·g-1) and E. foetida (LD50 = 206,31 mg i.a.·kg-1 at 14 d; NOEC <21,2 mg i.a.·kg-1 / LOEC = 21,2 mg i.a.·kg-1 at 14 d). The following sequence of decreasing ecotoxicity mediated by the lethal and sublethal effects produced during the bioassays with the six organisms was observed: D. magna> A. franciscana> C. vulgaris> C. auratus> E. foetida> Soil microorganisms. Daphnia magna was the most bioindicator organism of lufenuron, and the most resistant soil microorganisms. Lufenuron had higher rates of mortality and inhibition in aquatic organisms than in terrestrial organisms. It was concluded that the six organisms chosen to evaluate the possible environmental damages of the insecticide lufenuron, helped to clarify that this compound damages mainly the trophic chain aquatic that the terrestrial chain, being more sensitive aquatic ecosystems that the terrestrial ones.

Os bioindicadores são organismos ou comunidades de organismos que apresentam respostas às mudanças do ecossistema, servindo como guia da condição ambiental como um todo. Dentre estas mudanças se destacam as resultantes de ações antrópicas que, no Cerrado, foram responsáveis pela redução da área nativa à metade do valor original. As formigas têm sido utilizadas como bioindicadores em programas de monitoramento de ecossistemas por compartilharem características de alto valor na bioindicação. O presente trabalho buscou o levantamento da diversidade de formigas e identificação de espécies indicadoras em duas áreas com diferentes níveis de regeneração de Cerrado: nível de regeneração inicial e avançado. Objetivou-se testar o pressuposto de que a diversidade de formigas responde ao gradiente de regeneração do Cerrado, apresentando um aumento na diversidade quanto maior for nível de regeneração da área. Adicionalmente, buscou-se avaliar a riqueza e composição de espécies de formigas através das seguintes hipóteses: (1) a riqueza de formigas aumenta sob influência do nível de regeneração mais avançada, possivelmente em decorrência do aumento da diversidade vegetal e de nichos disponíveis; que (2) há uma separação na composição taxonômica e de guildas nas áreas regeneração; e (3) que a riqueza e abundância das guildas, da mesma forma, aumentam sob influência do nível de regeneração das áreas. Para a execução deste trabalho foi realizada uma coleta no início da estação seca as áreas de reserva da fazenda Nova Monte Carmelo, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foram estabelecidas 16 parcelas em cada nível de regeneração nas quais foram distribuídos um total de 128 pitfalls epigéicos. No total, foram coletadas 87 espécies/morfospécies de formigas sendo 64 em regeneração inicial e 71 em regeneração avançada sendo que 55,17% das espécies foram encontradas nas duas áreas. Os gêneros mais abundantes coletados foram Pheidole, Solenopsis e Camponotus. As áreas de regeneração avançada apresentaram maior riqueza que a área de regeneração inicial. Foram encontradas diferentes espécies indicadoras em cada área sendo em regeneração inicial: Solenopsis sp. e Dorymyrmex sp., e em regeneração avançada: Atta sp., Camponotus crassus, C. personatus, C. sp. E, Ectatomma permagnum, Pheidole sp., Pheidole sp., Pseudomyrmex termitarius e Pogonomyrmex naegelli. A análise de composição taxonômica resultou na formação de dois grupos distintos sugerindo que a regeneração dirige a separação taxonômica. Por outro lado, a composição taxonômica de guildas não apresentou distinção estatística clara entre as áreas. As áreas de regeneração avançada apresentaram representantes de todas as nove guildas coletadas, enquanto as áreas de regeneração inicial obtiveram apenas oito. Além disso, houve diferença entre as proporções de guildas entre as áreas. Desta forma, excetuando-se a composição de guildas, as demais hipóteses aqui testadas foram corroboradas concordando assim com o pressuposto do trabalho. O presente trabalho reafirma a eficiência destes componentes em análises comparativas de áreas de regeneração do Cerrado, apresentando respostas visíveis e eficientes em todos os componentes de comunidades aqui analisados / Bioindicators are organisms or communities of organisms that respond to ecosystem changes, serving as a guide to the overall environmental condition. Among these changes are those resulting from anthropic actions that, in the Cerrado, were responsible for reducing the native area to half the original value. Ants have been used as bioindicators in ecosystem monitoring programs because they share characteristics of high value in bioindication. The present work sought to survey the diversity of ants and identification of indicator species in two areas with different regeneration level of Cerrado: initial and advanced regeneration levels. The objective was to test the assumption that the response of ant diversity to the regeneration gradient varies according to the regeneration level of each area. In addition, we aimed to evaluate the richness and composition of ant species through the following hypotheses: (1) ant richness increases under the influence of the more advanced regeneration level, possibly due to the increase of plant diversity and available niches; That (2) there is a separation in the taxonomic composition and of guilds in the regeneration areas; And (3) that the wealth and abundance of the guilds likewise increase under the influence of the level of regeneration of the areas. For the execution of this work a collection was carried out at the beginning of the dry season the reserve areas of Nova Monte Carmelo farm, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sixteen plots were established at each regeneration level in which a total of 128 epigene pitfalls were distributed. In total, 87 species / morphs of ants were collected, 64 in initial regeneration and 71 in advanced regeneration, and 55.17% of the species were found in both areas. The most abundant genera collected were Pheidole, Solenopsis and Camponotus. The areas of advanced regeneration presented greater wealth than the initial regeneration area. Different indicator species were found in each area and in initial regeneration: Solenopsis sp. And Dorymyrmex sp., And in advanced regeneration: Atta sp., Camponotus crassus, C. personatus, C. sp. E, Ectatomma permagnum, Pheidole sp., Pheidole sp., Pseudomyrmex termitarius and Pogonomyrmex naegelli. The analysis of taxonomic composition resulted in the formation of two distinct groups suggesting that regeneration drives the taxonomic separation. On the other hand, the taxonomic composition of guilds did not present a clear statistical distinction between the areas. The areas of advanced regeneration presented representatives of all nine guilds collected, while the areas of initial regeneration obtained only eight. In addition, there was a difference between the proportions of guilds between the areas. Thus, with the exception of guild composition, the other hypotheses tested here were corroborated, thus agreeing with the assumption of the work. The present work reaffirms the efficiency of these components in comparative analyzes of Cerrado regeneration areas, presenting visible and efficient responses in all components of communities analyzed here

Este trabalho foi dividido em dois capítulos em formato de artigo científico, que fornecem informações sobre diversidade e ecologia de vespas sociais (Polistinae) em três áreas de floresta amazônica no estado de Rondônia. No primeiro capítulo comparamos índices de diversidade de áreas com diferentes níveis de interferência antrópica e apresentamos uma lista de espécies para a região. No segundo observamos a relação de alguns fatores ambientais abióticos (temperatura, umidade relativa do ar e intensidade luminosa) com o forrageio das vespas sociais durante a fotofase (06:00 18:00 h). Foram realizadas 42 coletas ativas com auxílio de solução atrativa (água, sal, açúcar), totalizando 504 horas de coleta de dados. Foram coletadas 2983 espécimes de vespas sociais, distribuídas em 76 espécies de Polistinae, sendo um dos trabalhos com maior diversidade de vespas sociais coletadas no Brasil. As vespas mais abundantes foram Agelaia Lepeletier e com maior riqueza de espécies Polybia Lepeletier. A área com maior interferência antrópica teve os índices de diversidade similares aos da área com menor interferência, com isto, concluímos que a diversidade de vespas sociais (Polistinae) não é um bom parâmetro para indicar o nível de preservação ambiental de fragmentos de floresta, uma vez que estes resultados já foram observados em áreas de Mata Atlântica. Quanto aos fatores abióticos, apenas a temperatura foi significante (P<0.05) e observamos que as atividades de forrageio de Polistinae ocorrem durante todo o período da fotofase, não priorizando horários específicos. / This study was divided into two chapters in format of scientific papers, which provide information about ecology and diversity of social wasps (Polistinae) in three areas of Amazon rainforest in state of Rondônia. In the first chapter we compare diversity indices of areas with different levels of human interference as well show a list of species for the region. In the second we present the relation between the abiotic environmental factors (temperature, relative humidity and light intensity) during the photophase (06:00 to 18:00 h) with the foraging of social wasps through statistical analysis. This study was conducted using active collection with an attractive solution (water, salt, sugar) in 42 collections, totaling 504 hours of data collection. We collected 2983 specimens of social wasps, distributed in 76 species of Polistine, being a survey with the greatest diversity of wasps collected in Brazil. The more abundant wasps were Agelaia Lepeletier and the greater richness was Polybia Lepeletier. Samples were taken in the area with the highest anthropogenic interference had diversity indexes near the area with less interference, it concluded with the diversity of social wasps (Polistine) is not a good parameter to indicate the level of environmental preservation of forest fragments, as well has been observed in surveys in the Atlantic forest. Regarding abiotic factors only temperature was significant (P<0.05), and we observed that the activities of Polistine occur throughout the entire photophase period do not prioritizing any specific times.

Este trabalho objetivou estudar a possibilidade de se utilizar líquen como bioindicador de poluição atmosférica para regiões impactadas por radionuclídeos, metais e elementos terras raras. Foram escolhidas como áreas de estudo a região de Pirapora do Bom Jesus, onde se localiza uma indústria de produção de estanho e chumbo metálicos e a região de Cubatão, onde se localiza o complexo industrial de produção de fertilizantes fosfatados. As duas instalações escolhidas são consideradas como indústrias TENORM - Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material, pois podem ocasionar um aumento significativo na concentração dos radionuclídeos naturais nas várias etapas do processo industrial, ocasionando um aumento potencial de exposição à radiação natural em produtos, subprodutos e resíduos gerados. Para tanto foram analisados os radionuclídeos 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th e 228Ra, os elementos terras raras e metais em amostras de matéria prima e resíduo das instalações, liquens e solos na área de influência. As amostras de líquen e solo foram analisadas para a determinação de urânio, tório, elementos terras raras e metais por análise por ativação com nêutrons. Os radionuclídeos 226Ra, 228Ra e 210Pb em amostras de solo foram determinados por espectrometria gama, e em amostras de liquens por separação radioquímica e contagem alfa e beta total em contador proporcional de fluxo de gás constante. As concentrações de 238U (de 19 a 473 Bq kg-1), 226Ra (de 21 a 265 Bq kg-1), 210Pb (de 401 a 1461 Bq kg-1), 232Th (de 15 a 574 Bq kg-1), 228Ra (de 176 a 535 Bq kg-1), elementos terras raras, Hf e Ta determinadas nas amostras de liquens ao redor da indústria de produção de estanho e chumbo metálicos mostram que todos estes elementos se concentram significativamente e, portanto, os liquens fornecem uma assinatura da contaminação atmosférica. Os resultados obtidos nas amostras de liquens da região de Cubatão mostram uma assinatura mais evidente do radionuclídeo 210Pb, proveniente de todo parque industrial da região. Os resultados obtidos no presente estudo mostraram que os liquens podem ser usados como bioindicadores de poluição atmosférica por radionuclídeos e elementos traço. / The main aim of this thesis is to study the possibility of using lichen as bioincicator of atmospheric pollution in regions contaminated by radionuclides, metals and rare earth elements. Two regions were chosen, one in Pirapora do Bom Jesus, where a tin and lead industry is located, and a second one in Cubatão, where a phosphate fertilizer industrial complex is located. The two industries chosen are considered as TENORM - Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material, since they can cause a significant increase in the natural radionuclides concentration in the industrial process, and consequently a potential increase in the radiation exposure in products, byproducts and residue. To achieve this aim, the radionuclides 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th and 228Ra, rare earth elements and metals were analyzed in samples of raw material an residue from the installations, lichens and soils. Lichens and soil samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis for the determination of uranium, thorium, rare earth elements and metals. The radionuclides 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb in soil samples were determined by gamma spectrometry and in lichen sample by radiochemical separation and gross alpha and beta counting on a gas flow proportional counter. The concentrations of 238U (from 19 to 473 Bq kg-1), 226Ra (from 21 to 265 Bq kg-1), 210Pb (from 401 to 1461 Bq kg-1), 232Th (from 15 to 574 Bq kg-1), 228Ra (from 176 to 535 Bq kg-1), rare earth elements, Hf and Ta determined in lichen samples around the tin and lead industry show an enrichment in these elements. Therefore, the lichens can be used as a fingerprint of the atmospheric contamination. The results obtained for the lichen samples, in the Cubatão region, present a fingerprint mainly of 210Pb, from industries of the region. The results obtained in this study showed that the lichens can be used as bioindicators of atmospheric pollution by radionuclides and trace elements.