Iceland is an area practically free from pollution but threatened by long-range transported anthropogenic contaminants from mid- and low-latitudes. Therefore the load of trace elements in the environment of this island should be controlled. Accordingly in this investigation we evaluated the level of metals in rocks and soil as well as in two moss species: Sanionia uncinata, Racomitrium lanuginosum and in stems and leaves of the dwarf willow Salix herbacea. The tested hypotheses were: 1) S. uncinata and R. lanuginosum may be used as bioindicators of contaminating metals in Iceland, 2) S. uncinata is a better phytoaccumulator of these metals than R. lanuginosum because of pleated leaves, which increases their surface. No concentration of metals in the examined mosses exceeded the toxicity thresholds for plants. S. uncinata was a better accumulator of Cd, Co and Ni than R. lanuginosum, while R. lanuginosum was a better accumulator of Pb than the other moss growing together in the same sites. Both species accumulated Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in a similar way. R. lanuginosum and S. uncinata collected in the vicinity of various local industries were correlated with the highest levels of all established concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Both species from sites influenced by sea spray were correlated with the highest concentration of Hg. S. uncinata and R. lanuginosum may be qualified as suitable bioindicators of metal pollution in Iceland. S. herbacea contained elevated concentrations of Cd and Zn without harming effects. Both elements in this plant also had the highest bioaccumulation factors from soil. This species was therefore a more suitable bioindicator of Cd and Zn as well as Co, Cu, Ni and Pb in Iceland than S. uncinata and R. lanuginosum.

冰岛是一个几乎没有污染的地区，但受到中低纬度人为污染的远距离迁移的威胁。因此，应该控制该岛环境中微量元素的负载。因此，在这项调查中，我们评估了岩石和土壤中以及两个苔藓物种中的金属含量：桑尼翁（Sanionia uncinata），兰香（Racomitrium lanuginosum）以及矮柳柳柳草的茎和叶。所测试的假说是：1）S. uncinata和R. lanuginosum可以用作在冰岛玷污金属的生物指示剂，2）S. uncinata是这些金属比的更好phytoaccumulator R. lanuginosum因为叶片打褶，增加了其表面。被测苔藓中的金属浓度均未超过植物的毒性阈值。S. uncinata是镉，钴，镍比更好的蓄电池R. lanuginosum，而R. lanuginosum是铅的比其他苔藓在同一地点一起成长更好的蓄电池。两种物质都以类似的方式积累了Cr，Cu，Fe，Mn和Zn。在各种地方工业附近收集的兰氏罗非鱼和链球菌与所有确定的镉，钴，铬，铜，铁，锰，镍，铅和锌的最高浓度有关。受到海浪影响的两个物种与汞的最高浓度相关。在冰岛，S。uncinata和R. lanuginosum可能是合适的金属污染生物指标。草本葡萄球菌中Cd和Zn的浓度升高，而没有损害作用。该植物中的两种元素都具有最高的土壤生物积累因子。因此，这种为Cd和Zn，以及钴，铜，镍和铅的在冰岛的更合适的生物指示剂大于S. uncinata和R. lanuginosum。