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PubMed2005

Contribution of man-made activities to the pollution of the Tigris within Mosul area/IRAQ.

This paper presents an overall view of major sources that may lead to the pollution of the Tigris within Mosul city. A stretch exceeding 20kms in length is selected that represents the "sick" path of the river. Many sites along the studied stretch are likely to affect the river quality in some way or another. Samples from 40 sources sites are taken for quality analyses These sources--as huge as 400000 m3 a day--are characterized as (medium - strong) in composition. Such wastewaters with the pollutants they carry alter the river water quality rendering it unsuitable for beneficial uses. Such alterations--do leave--many negative consequences concerning human beings and aquatic life. It is found that domestic discharges are among the most important sources of pollution. Sanitary wastes are often discharged--untreated--into the Tigris. Other illegal practices such as in-house slaughtering add to the pollution as well. Industrial, tourist and institutional wastes put an additional burden on pollution of the river water quality. These wastes contain lead, chrome, and other heavy metals that may pose health risks. Wastewater treatment plants that exist in some sectors do not perform as they are expected. They need proper evaluation and rehabilitation. Eutrophication--a characteristic problem in lakes--finds an access to occur into the Tigris. This problem results from intensive use of detergents rich in nutrients (P&N compounds). In general, pollutants of different sources heavily affect the river water. Recovery and self purification of the river is estimated to occur at 40 km far from reference point. The paper concludes with the necessity of construction of a central treatment plant(s) or tackling the pollutants at their origin. The paper also stresses on importance of environmental education and awareness in order to combat pollution problems.

Chlorides↗

PubMed2001

A new technology for harnessing the dye polluted water and dye collection in a chemical factory.

A new technology for harnessing the dye polluted water and dye collection was developed. It is based on the enhanced evaporation by using solar, wind and air temperature energy and additional heat-electric energy. It consists of four parts: (1) evaporation carrier system (evaporation carrier and frame for evaporation carrier) for polluted water; (2) polluted water circulating system (pumping-spraying-collecting); (3) heating system; (4) workshop with polluted water reservoir-tanks and rainfall prevention roof. The polluted water was (heated in case necessary) sprayed to the evaporation carrier system and the water was evaporated when it moved in the space and downward along the carrier mainly by using natural (solar, wind and air temperature energy). In case, when there is no roof for the carrier system, the polluted water can be stored in the reservoirs (storage volume for about 20 days). The first 10-25 mm rainfall also need to be stored in the reservoirs to meet the state standard for discharging wastewater. The dye may be collected at the surface in the reservoir-tanks and the crystallized salt may be collected at the bottom plate. The black-color wastewater released by the factory is no more discharged to the surface water system of Taihu Lake Basin. About 2 kg dye and 200 kg industrial salt may be collected from each tone of the polluted water. The non-pollution production of dye may be realized by using this technology with environmental, economical and social benefits.

Chemical Precipitation↗

PubMed2004

[Three patterns of interaction between soil and non-point source P-pollutants in agricultural watershed].

Typical agricultural watershed was selected to study the interactions between soil matrix and non-point source P-pollutants in surface runoff under simulative conditions. The soil samples were taken in different spatial locations in this watershed and were under different degree of human disturbance. The results showed that the interactions between different soil matrix and phosphorus could be divided into three patterns:retention, release and combination of retention and release. Soil of retention pattern has strong adsorption capacity of phosphate and will retain phosphorus from polluted runoff. Soil of release pattern has significant desorption capacity of phosphate and will release phosphorus to the runoff. Soil of retention and release combination pattern will retain or release phosphorus according to the phosphate concentration in the polluted runoff. These results showed that soil matrix in different spatial locations in the agricultural watershed have different ecological functions and environmental values under the processing of natural conditions and human disturbance. From the view of occurrence of non-point source pollution, these soils could become the sink of pollutants as well as the source of pollutants. Under some conditions, there has a conversion between sink and source of them. These results are valuable for control of non-point source pollution on watershed level, identification of key source area of pollutants and improvement of efficiency of control measures.

Crops, Agricultural↗

PubMed2006

[Effects of environmental pollutants on arbuscular mycorrhiza formation and function].

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) possesses the characteristics of both microbe and plant. Considerable attention has been focused on the use of AM in the remediation of polluted soil, but AM could be poisoned by pollutants when exposed to polluted soil, and thus, the significance of its application might be reduced. Therefore, how to reduce the negative effects of pollutants on AM is an issue to be considered in remedying polluted soil by AM. This paper briefly reviewed the effects of different organic and inorganic pollutants on AM structure, formation and function, and discussed the possible mechanisms. Both organic and inorganic pollutants could have detrimental effects on AM structure, formation and function, such as low spore germination, colonization rate, and hyphal growth. Organic pollutants indirectly affect the activity of AM fungi through affecting the carbohydrates allocation from plant to the fungi, while heavy metals directly inhibited the activity of AM fungi.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed1983

Some findings on mutagenicity in airborne particulate pollutants.

Mutagenic activity in particulate airborne pollutants in several samples collected in a wide variety of industrial, residential, and small-scale factory districts over the past seven years was detected by the Ames test. The particulate air samples that were not contaminated with several chemicals such as NO (less than 0.001 ppm), NO2 (less than 0.001 ppm), and SO2 (less than 0.001 ppm) showed only low mutagenic activity (1 revertant/m3) when they were tested with Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 in the presence of S9 mix. However, most of the samples polluted by particulate matters showed high mutagenicity, with responses varying from 2.4 to 445 revertants per m3: 67 samples from an industrial area induced an average of 44 revertants per m3; 60 from a residential area, 16.2; and 10 from a small-scale factory area, 72.1. For assessing the mutagenic potential of the pollution in the atmosphere, the frequency of mutation determined with strain TA98 in the presence of S9 mix was used to divide the samples tentatively into five groups (A-E) on the basis of the normal logarithmic distribution curve of 137 samples. Air samples belonging to group A gave less than 2.3 revertants per m3 of air (1.12 +/- 0.12, no pollution); those of group B gave a range of 2.4 to 8.6 (5.93 +/- 1.91, slight pollution); those of group C gave a range of 8.7 to 30.2 (16.0 +/- 5.36, moderate pollution); those of group D gave a range of 30.3 to 115 (56.7 +/- 20.1, considerable pollution); and those of group E gave more than 116 (234 +/- 119, heavy pollution). Of the 137 samples tested, 6 samples (4.4%) were assigned to group A, 38 (27.7%) to group B, 52 (38.0%) to group C, 34 (24.8%) to group D, and 7 (5.1%) to group E. Furthermore, the samples in an industrial area were classified in the order of group C (35.8%), group B (26.9%), group D (22.4%), group E (8.96%), and group A (5.97%), and those in a residential area in the order of group C (46.7%), group B (33.3%), group D (18.3%), and group A (1.67%).

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2004

Urban air pollution and children's asthma: what do parents and health professionals think?

Our objective was to explore and compare, in the context of other exposures, lay and professional perceptions of the links between urban air pollution and children's asthma. We used a triangulated survey approach, using quantitative questionnaire surveys enriched by qualitative interviews. Derivation of indicators of actual local air quality used modelled air pollution and a geographical information system. Our setting involved families and community health professionals in the London borough of Ealing, and pediatric respiratory specialists across the United Kingdom. Participants included 863 parents of children aged 3-11 years, 151 reporting currently asthmatic children, of whom 20 were extensively interviewed; 98 local general practitioners and 50 practice nurses; and 75 paediatric respiratory consultants and 55 specialist nurses. Main outcome measures involved views about the links between urban air pollution and children's asthma, relative to other triggers. Comparison of assessments of local air quality, with actual pollution levels, was made by parents with and without asthmatic children. Many parents were unsure as to what factors initiate asthma, but the most frequently cited was traffic pollution; it was also considered important in the exacerbation of asthma. Health professionals' assessments were inconsistent: specialists conformed to the dominant literature dismissing strong links between air pollution and asthma, while local clinicians reflected the views of parents in their community. Surrounding parents' views were difficulties defining exposures to urban air pollution, underlying concerns about risks to general health, perceived lack of control, unclear expert opinion, and widely accepted informal "messages" which assumed strong links. Parents with experience of asthma were found to have significantly less accurate (negatively biased) perceptions of local air quality. In conclusion, reactions to uncertainty surrounding associations between asthma and urban air pollution varied: parents' concerns were heightened (and propagated by other influences), specialist clinicians were dismissive, and community clinicians fell between these extremes.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Use of crayfish in biomonitoring studies of environmental pollution of the river Meuse.

The river Meuse, located in western Europe, is contaminated by different pollutants, of both organic and inorganic nature. The predominant sources of Meuse contamination in The Netherlands are agricultural activities and pollution derived from urban areas. Crayfish, water, and sediment samples were collected at four different locations of the river Meuse, in order to cover a large part of the catchment area of this river in The Netherlands. Crayfish may be very useful in biomonitoring studies, since they can integrate body load by pollutants over time in an area-bound manner. In these crayfish, levels of aromatic DNA adducts, heavy metal residues, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides were determined in hepatopancreatic tissue. Also analyzed were water and sediment samples derived from the same locations, for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, and organochlorine compounds. In sediments from the four different sampling sites, no clear differences were observed in PCB levels. Organochlorine pesticide concentrations were highest at location A, the most upstream sampling site, whereas a general decrease was observed following the river Meuse downstream. A similar pattern was observed for the metal compounds. For PAH sediment levels no consistent tendency could be observed. Highest values were detected at site B, followed by, respectively, locations A, D, and C. In water samples, a different pattern was observed. The highest metal concentration was observed at location D, whereas the total organochlorine level was higher at sites B and D, compared to the two other sampling sites. Differences in pollution levels in crayfish between sampling sites were evident. Site D, the most downstream-situated site examined, appeared to be the most polluted site with respect to PCBs, DDT, DDE, and Cu in crayfish. Moreover, DNA adduct levels, which may serve as a dosimeter for the internal dose of aromatic compounds such as PAHs and PCBs, were also significantly higher in hepatopancreatic tissue of crayfish captured at site D, compared to the three other sampling sites. Moreover, significant correlations were observed between DNA adduct levels and the lower chlorinated PCB congeners (PCB 28-PCB 101). By correlating the different pollutants in water and/or sediment with xenobiotic levels in crayfish, no consistency could be observed, indicating that monitoring aquatic species may provide specific information on the presence of surface water pollutants. These results indicate that crayfish can be used as biological indicators of exposure to both organic and inorganic pollution in aquatic systems.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

What are people dying of on high air pollution days?

The air pollution disasters in London in 1952, the Meuse valley in 1930, and in Donoroa, Pennsylvania, in 1948 made it clear that extremely high levels of particulate-based smog could produce large increases in the daily mortality rate. Recent studies of fluctuations in daily air pollution and daily mortality have reported associations at much lower concentrations in London during the 1960s and in Philadelphia, Steubenville, Santa Clara, St. Louis, Utah valley, Detroit, and eastern Tennessee in the 1970s and 1980s. Whether these associations are causal or not is a matter of considerable public health concern. If the detailed pattern of the deaths at these lower concentrations appeared similar to the pattern in London, this would strengthen the argument for causality. To examine this issue, the death certificates from Philadelphia were examined on the 5% of the days with the highest particulate air pollution and the 5% of the days with the lowest particulate air pollution during the years 1973-1980. There was little difference in weather between the high and low pollution days, but total suspended particulate matter concentrations averaged 141 micrograms/m3 on the high pollution days versus 47 micrograms/m3 on the low pollution days. The relative risk of dying on the high pollution days was 1.08 P < 0.0001. The relative increase was higher for COPD (1.25) and pneumonia (1.13). Deaths were also elevated for heart disease and stroke; however, there was a substantial increase in the reports of respiratory factors as contributing causes for those underlying causes of death. Dead-on-arrival deaths and deaths outside of hospitals and clinics were also disproportionately increased. This paralleled the pattern seen in London in 1952. The age pattern of the relative risk of death was also similar. This adds to the evidence that the association is causal.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Urban air pollution enhances the formation of urethane-induced lung tumors in mice.

This paper investigates the association between air pollution and lung neoplasia in an animal model. The experimental exposures were done in two locations with different air pollution profiles: a polluted area (downtown São Paulo) and a "clean" environment (Atibaia). Swiss mice were employed and urethane (3 g/kg) was used as carcinogenic substance. Two experiments were performed: Experiment I was designed to verify whether air pollution acts as initiator and/or promoter of lung cancer, using 300 mice; Experiment II employed 250 animals and aimed to verify if the effects of air pollution on the development of lung tumors was dose dependent. A significant effect of air pollution in augmenting lung carcinogenecity induced by urethane was observed. This effect was shown to be dose-dependent and reproducible on two different occasions. In addition, morphometric studies revealed that pollution may influence tumor phenotype. These results support the hypothesis that air pollution plays a significant role in the development of lung tumors.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1998

Nasal epithelium as a sentinel for airborne environmental pollution.

A wide range of chemicals, particulate matter, and gaseous air pollutants are present in urban atmospheres and may pose a significant health risk for human populations. Nasal passages are the first site of contact of the respiratory tract with the environment and offer significant protection to the lower respiratory tract by conditioning the inspired air. This activity, which includes removal of certain pollutants, places the nose at risk of pathological changes, including cancer. Mexico City residents are exposed to a complex mixture of air pollutants. Based on predicted nasal air flow characteristics, four nasal biopsy sites were selected for study in adult male volunteers from a control low polluted town (n = 12) and southwest metropolitan Mexico City permanent residents (n = 54). Clinical data with emphasis on nasal symptoms and histopathological changes including basal and goblet cell hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia, epithelial dysplasia, and neovascularization were evaluated. Immunohistochemical staining was used to assess accumulation of p53 protein. Control individuals had no respiratory symptoms and their biopsies were unremarkable. Mexico City residents complained of epistaxis, rhinorrea, nasal crusting, dryness, and nasal obstruction. Their biopsies showed patchy shortening of cilia, deciliated areas, basal cell hyperplasia, and squamous metaplasia. Dysplastic lesions were predominantly located on antral squamous epithelium and in squamous metaplastic epithelium of the posterior inferior turbinates and they exhibited p53 nuclear accumulation. Individuals with > 10 h of daily outdoor exposure for 5 years or more had the highest rate of dysplasia. Subjects with epistaxis were more likely to have dysplasias and neovascularization. Results of this study suggest: (a) Nasal lesions in Mexico City residents are likely the result of many potentially toxic and/or carcinogenic pollutants, including ozone, aldehydes, particulate matter, and unmeasured pollutants; (b) the alteration of the nasal mucociliary defense mechanisms and the effects of reactive and/or water-soluble materials and particulates could be playing a major role in the nasal pathology; (c) the accumulation of p53 protein in dysplastic nasal lesions in the context of prolonged exposure to air pollutants raises the possibility that p53 mutations are already present and are providing the squamous cells with a selective advantage for clonal expansion; and (d) the nasal passages provide a valuable sentinel tissue for the detection of toxic air pollutants.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Air pollution and daily mortality in three Swiss urban areas.

Particulate air pollution, in association with other common urban air pollutants, has been associated with various measured health endpoints, including the incidence and duration of respiratory symptoms, lung function, absence from work or school due to respiratory illness, hospitalization for respiratory disease, and cardiopulmonary disease mortality. In this study, the association between daily mortality and air pollution was assessed in Zurich, Basle, and Geneva (Switzerland) for the time period 1984 through 1989. Various regression modeling techniques were used to estimate the effect of air pollution on mortality, to control for time trends, seasonal factors, and weather variables, and to assess the sensitivity of the results. A positive, statistically significant association between daily mortality counts and measures of ambient air pollution in all three cities was observed. Mortality was associated with total suspended particulate pollution, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The strongest association was with a 3-day moving average (including the concurrent day and the preceding 2 days) of these pollutants. The estimated mortality-air pollution effects were not highly sensitive to regression modeling techniques used to control for seasonality, long-term trends, and weather variables.

Aged↗

PubMed1986

[Measures against air pollution].

The Swiss Environmental Protection Law provides the legal basis for an efficient confinement of the air pollution. The concept of the Swiss air pollution control policy is based on two steps. In a first step, all emissions are limited providently. In a second step, the emissions have to be limited more severely, if it is certain or if it can be expected that the air pollution is harmful or annoying to human health or to the environment. The new ordinance on air pollution control is of great importance in abating air pollution. This ordinance will enter into force on March 1st, 1986. Is contains regulations for industrial sources and for heating systems, for instance emission limits for a number of pollutants, regulations for construction and operation of stationary installations, limits for the maximum content of pollutants in fuels. Moreover, stringent exhaust regulations for new passenger cars will enter into force on October 1st, 1987. Although important measures to reduce air pollution have already been taken in Switzerland, further efforts are necessary to guarantee a sufficient protection of human health and environment.

Air Pollution↗

PubMed2003

Impacts of Cd and Zn on the development of periphytic diatom communities in artificial streams located along a river pollution gradient.

Many field and experimental studies have been conducted to reveal modifications of periphytic diatom communities under metal pollution, but most of the approaches presented drawbacks: variability of environmental factors for field studies and lack of representativity for experimental ones. An original approach that allows growth of periphytic communities under conditions more controlled than in the field and more realistic than experimental investigations was developed to try conclusions being drawn on the real impact of metallic pollution. Artificial streams were placed on the river bank at three sites along the pollution gradient (Cd/Zn) of the River Lot (SW France): reference (upstream pollution discharge), slightly polluted (around 1.5 microg Cd x L(-1) and 50 microg Zn x L(-1)), and polluted (around 6 microg Cd x L(-1) and 400 microg Zn x L(-1)) sites. Structural characteristics of diatom communities growing in these artificial streams, on glass substrates, and under homogenized current velocity and water depth were compared after four durations (1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks) to study effects of metal on first steps of community development. Marked perturbations of diatom community development were observed overall in the polluted site: after 1 week, early biofilms differed already by taxonomic composition; after 4 weeks, cell density was significantly lower than in the reference site and taxonomic composition was very different. These results, generated by a methodology intermediate between field and experimental approaches, compare well with literature findings based on more traditional approaches, strongly attesting that metallic pollution affects diatom community architecture and induce rising of abnormal cells.

Biofilms↗

PubMed2005

Pollution and self-cleansing of an urban river in a developing country: a case study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Pollution and self-purification trends of an urban river namely, Msimbazi River, in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania, were investigated. Site investigations and water quality analyses were done. The river is polluted in terms of high organic and nutrient concentrations, low dissolved oxygen, and high counts of indicator organisms. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) concentrations were 27-340 mg/L. Dissolved oxygen was found to be as low as 0.9 mg O2/L. Bacteriological pollution increased with distance downstream of the river, a trend attributable to an increase in the catchment of pollution sources, which are on-site sanitation systems. Although the river has an appreciable self-purification capacity, the capacity is strained by persistent pollution overloads. The pollution plight of the river is attributable to its being flanked by expanding human habitats and vibrant industrial, institutional, and socio-economic activities. Provision for pretreatment of discharges into the river is put forward as a remedial measure for the observed pollution. Matching non-technical and techno-social remedial measures are also recommended. These include sensitization of polluters on merits of environmental protection practices such as cleaner production and strict enforcement of environmental protection laws.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Strategies for the engineered phytoremediation of toxic element pollution: mercury and arsenic.

Plants have many natural properties that make them ideally suited to clean up polluted soil, water, and air, in a process called phytoremediation. We are in the early stages of testing genetic engineering-based phytoremediation strategies for elemental pollutants like mercury and arsenic using the model plant Arabidopsis. The long-term goal is to develop and test vigorous, field-adapted plant species that can prevent elemental pollutants from entering the food-chain by extracting them to aboveground tissues, where they can be managed. To achieve this goal for arsenic and mercury, and pave the way for the remediation of other challenging elemental pollutants like lead or radionucleides, research and development on native hyperaccumulators and engineered model plants needs to proceed in at least eight focus areas: (1) Plant tolerance to toxic elementals is essential if plant roots are to penetrate and extract pollutants efficiently from heterogeneous contaminated soils. Only the roots of mercury- and arsenic-tolerant plants efficiently contact substrates heavily contaminated with these elements. (2) Plants alter their rhizosphere by secreting various enzymes and small molecules, and by adjusting pH in order to enhance extraction of both essential nutrients and toxic elements. Acidification favors greater mobility and uptake of mercury and arsenic. (3) Short distance transport systems for nutrients in roots and root hairs requires numerous endogenous transporters. It is likely that root plasma membrane transporters for iron, copper, zinc, and phosphate take up ionic mercuric ions and arsenate. (4) The electrochemical state and chemical speciation of elemental pollutants can enhance their mobility from roots up to shoots. Initial data suggest that elemental and ionic mercury and the oxyanion arsenate will be the most mobile species of these two toxic elements. (5) The long-distance transport of nutrients requires efficient xylem loading in roots, movement through the xylem up to leaves, and efficient xylem unloading aboveground. These systems can be enhanced for the movement of arsenic and mercury. (6) Aboveground control over the electrochemical state and chemical speciation of elemental pollutants will maximize their storage in leaves, stems, and vascular tissues. Our research suggests ionic Hg(II) and arsenite will be the best chemical species to trap aboveground. (7) Chemical sinks can increase the storage capacity for essential nutrients like iron, zinc, copper, sulfate, and phosphate. Organic acids and thiol-rich chelators are among the important chemical sinks that could trap maximal levels of mercury and arsenic aboveground. (8) Physical sinks such as subcellular vacuoles, epidermal trichome cells, and dead vascular elements have shown the evolutionary capacity to store large quantities of a few toxic pollutants aboveground in various native hyperaccumulators. Specific plant transporters may already recognize gluthione conjugates of Hg(II) or arsenite and pump them into vacuole.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2006

Tissue cadmium (Cd) concentrations of people living in a Cd polluted area, Japan.

There are more than 50 cadmium (Cd) polluted areas in Japan. The severest general environmental Cd polluted area in Japan was the Jinzu River basin in Toyama Prefecture where Itai-itai disease had been endemic. The present study aimed to compare organ Cd concentrations of inhabitants who had been exposed to different levels of environmental Cd and to clarify the health effects of the environmental Cd exposure in Japan. Since 1960 we have measured tissue Cd concentrations of inhabitants with a history of living in a different Cd polluted areas. Study population living in Cd polluted areas were 36 (1 male, 35 females) patients with Itai-itai disease, 20 (7 males, 13 females) subjects suspected of having Itai-itai disease, 8 (2 males, 6 females) inhabitants in Cd polluted areas other than the Jinzu River basin. Subjects who had lived in Cd non-polluted area were 72 inhabitants. Cd concentrations in liver, pancreas and thyroid of those living in Cd polluted areas were as high as those of patients with Itai-itai disease, and their Cd concentrations in renal cortex were as low as those of patients with Itai-itai disease. The present study demonstrated that tissue Cd concentrations of some inhabitants in Cd polluted areas other than Jinzu River basin are equal to those of the patients with Itai-itai disease and that patients with Itai-itai disease were present even in these areas.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Evaluation of air pollution phytotoxicity downwind of a phosphate fertilizer factory in India.

The effects of air pollution on plants downwind of a fertilizer factory at Udaipur, India, were studied using three woody perennials. Seedlings of these species including a shrub (Carissa carandas L.), a leguminous avenue tree (Cassia fistula L.) and a fruit tree (Psidium guajava L.) were grown in earthen pots at different study sites receiving varying levels of air pollution input. Changes in plant growth, morphological characteristics, photosynthetic pigment, ascorbic acid, N and S contents and in dry matter allocation were considered in relation to the status of ambient air quality. Observations with these parameters have indicated that the ambient air around the factory contained pollutants at phytotoxic levels. Plant height, basal diameter, conopy area, leaf area and chlorophyll, ascorbic acid and foliar-N concentrations decreased with increasing pollution load. However, foliar-S increased slightly at polluted sites. Air pollution load around the factory have also altered the biomass allocation. Root:shoot ratios increased in C. fistula and P. guajava at polluted sites. In contrast, for C. carandas the above ground parts, where foliage assumed predominance showed precedence over the root growth. This species responded characteristically to air pollution stress by allocating more of its photosynthate towards leaf production and shoot growth.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2006

Biochemical and ultrastructural changes in plant foliage exposed to auto-pollution.

Auto-pollution is the by-product of our mechanized mobility, which adversely affects both plant and human life. However, plants growing in the urban locations provide a great respite to us from the brunt of auto-pollution by absorbing the pollutants at their foliar surface. Foliar surface configuration and biochemical changes in two selected plant species, namely Ficus religiosa L. and Thevetia nerifolia L., growing at IT crossing (highly polluted sites), Picup bhawan crossing (moderately polluted site) and Kukrail Forest Picnic Spot (Low polluted site) were investigated. It was observed that auto-exhaust pollution showed marked alterations in photosynthetic pigments, protein and cysteine contents and also in leaf area and foliar surface architecture of plants growing at HP site as compared to LP site. The changes in the foliar configuration reveal that these plants can be used as biomarkers of auto-pollution.

Air Pollution↗