Atmospheric pollution remains one of the growing concerns in the twenty-first century, with particular focus on metal trace elements (MTE) from anthropogenic sources, due to their adverse effects on biota. The concentration and type of MTE in the atmosphere and in the soil are diverse, depending on the origin of pollutants, which can cause diverse detrimental effects on organisms living in the nearby environment. Three sites in Central Serbia with different origins of MTE pollution (urban contamination, smelting, and fly ash area) were assessed, using terrestrial Roman snails (Helix pomatia) as biomarker organisms. These snails are sentinel organisms and are known for their capacities for accumulation of MTE. Snails were sampled and their body was divided in three parts: viscera, foot, and shell and concentrations of MTE were determined in each of these body parts using inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry. Results showed contrasting MTE accumulation patterns in body parts of the snails. Of three studied sites, snails sampled in the vicinity of fly ash containment had lower concentrations of MTE compared to other two polluted sites.

Department of Ecosystem Biology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Branišovska 1645 31a 370 05 České Budějovice Czech Republic

Department of Microscopy Laboratory of Histology and Embryology ICBAS School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences University of Porto Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 4050 313 Porto Portugal

Institute of Hydrobiology Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Na Sádkách 702 7 370 05 České Budějovice Czech Republic

University of Belgrade Faculty of Agriculture Nemanjina 6 Zemun 11080 Belgrade Serbia

University of Belgrade Institute for Multidisciplinary Research Kneza Višeslava 1 11000 Belgrade Serbia

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