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Plant canopies: bio-monitor and trap for re-suspended dust particulates contaminated with heavy metals

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Abstract

Urban and peri-urban vegetation is being considered for air pollution abatement. Appropriate plants with efficiency to adsorb and absorb air-pollutants are the prerequisite for green space development. The contributions of surface morphology towards plant’s ability to function as dust particulate adsorber and distribution of trace elements over the leaves are investigated in the present study. Dust interception efficiency was estimated for two roadside plant species named Ficus benghalensis, and Polyalthia longifolia. Leaves of both the plants are capable of capturing dust in the range of 0.12 mg/cm2 to 1.89 mg/cm2 on either of the leaf surfaces. However, variation in dust capturing capacity between the plants was observed. Leaf surface characters such as roughness, length, frequency of trichomes and frequency of stomata played a significant role in capturing re-suspended dust. Frequency (2 to 4 per 0.0004 cm2) and length (152.5 to 92.1 cm) of trichome showed negative co-relation trend, where as frequency and size of stomata showed positive co-relation trend. Elemental analysis by Scanning Electron Microscope attached with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometer (SEMEDS) indicated the presence of elements such as Sodium (Na), Magnesium (Mg), Aluminium (Al), Silicon (Si), Chlorine (Cl), Pottasium (K), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn) and Arsenic (As). The results support the fact that plant canopies can be used for mitigation and bio-monitoring of air pollution as well.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, III/LB-8, Salt Lake, Kolkata, 700098, WB, India

    S. S. Ram, M. Sudarshan & A. Chakraborty

  2. Department of Material Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    S. S. Ram

  3. Department of Environmental Science, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, 700019, W.B., India

    S. S. Ram & P. Chaudhuri

  4. Allergy and Asthma Research Centre, 48/7, Purna Das Road, Kolkata, 700029, WB, India

    S. Chanda

  5. Department of Environmental Science, University of Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India

    S. Majumder & S. C. Santra

  6. Department of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, 700073, W.B., India

    P. K. Maiti

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  1. S. S. Ram
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  2. S. Majumder
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  3. P. Chaudhuri
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  4. S. Chanda
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  5. S. C. Santra
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  6. P. K. Maiti
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  7. M. Sudarshan
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  8. A. Chakraborty
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Correspondence to S. S. Ram.

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Ram, S.S., Majumder, S., Chaudhuri, P. et al. Plant canopies: bio-monitor and trap for re-suspended dust particulates contaminated with heavy metals. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 19, 499–508 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-012-9445-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-012-9445-8

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