Estimation of air pollution tolerance and anticipated performance index of roadside plants along the national highway in a tropical urban city

Atmospheric pollution affects the morphoanatomical and physiological responses of plants in urban Atlantic Forest remnants

The Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) in southern Brazil is impacted by high ozone levels posing significant threats to its urban forests and the Atlantic Forest remnants. These green areas, covering 540 km2 and constituting 30% of MASP's territory, necessitate an urgent assessment of air pollution impacts on their flora. Our study investigates the effects of atmospheric pollution on the morphoanatomical and physiological responses of four native tree species (Alchornea sidifolia, Casearia sylvestris, Guarea macrophylla, and Machaerium nyctitans) across two Atlantic Forest remnants in MASP. We examined visual and morphoanatomical changes in leaves, gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments, and plant volatile organic compounds to identify markers for biomonitoring urban environments. Our results reveal that MASP vegetation is adversely affected by tropospheric ozone. Species with porous mesophyll structures, such as M. nyctitans and G. macrophylla, exhibited greater visual and structural damage. In contrast, species with compact mesophyll, such as A. sidifolia and C. sylvestris, demonstrated higher tolerance. This suggests that anatomical architecture critically influences species' responses to atmospheric pollutants, such as tropospheric ozone. Additionally, we propose that ozone influx occurs through both stomatal pathways and as a result of direct and indirect injuries to the plant tissues. Additionally, our study identifies non-visual markers, including anatomical and physiological parameters and plant volatile organic compounds (e.g., presence of salicylates), as effective tools for monitoring plant species in urban environments. These insights highlight key anatomical and metabolic markers that help distinguish ozone-tolerant species from sensitive species, providing valuable information for monitoring air pollution in urban forests.

Phytomonitoring of air pollution around brick kilns in urban area: Exploring the potential of plants for the remediation of pollutants

This study examines the impacts of various pollutants on foliar biochemical parameters, including relative water content (RWC), total chlorophyll, leaf extract pH, and ascorbic acid content, and their relationship with the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). RWC, a crucial indicator of plant resilience, showed a significant positive correlation with APTI values (r = 0.4503, p < 0.05). Species with higher RWC, such as Carica papaya and Cassia fistula, demonstrated enhanced tolerance to pollutants, with RWC values reaching up to 85%. Chlorophyll content, which is vital for photosynthesis, exhibited a significant reduction in polluted areas, with levels ranging from 0.28 to 3.23 mg/g (p < 0.05). Notably, Cassia fistula had high APTI values but lower chlorophyll content, reflecting the complex relationship between tolerance and chlorophyll levels. Leaf extract pH was significantly lower in polluted areas, with pH values consistently below 7, correlating with higher APTI values (p < 0.05). Ascorbic acid content, an important antioxidant, was significantly higher in plants exposed to pollution, with positive correlations to APTI (r = 0.9214) and pH levels (r = 0.62). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified that pH, ascorbic acid, and APTI were positively correlated, while total chlorophyll and RWC showed opposing trends. Sensitivity analysis indicated that RWC (95.84% impact on Carica papaya and 85.92% on Cassia fistula) and pH were the primary factors influencing APTI and Metal Accumulation Index (MAI) values. The findings underscore the role of RWC, chlorophyll, pH, and ascorbic acid as biomarkers for plant responses to pollution and highlight the effectiveness of species with high MAI values in heavy metal accumulation and environmental monitoring.

Impact of automobile exhaust on biochemical and genomorphic characteristics of Mimusops elengi L. growing along roadsides of Lahore city, Pakistan

Automobile exhaust releases different types of pollutants that are at great risk to the air quality of the environment and incidental distress to the nature of roadside plants. Mimusops elengi L. is an evergreen medicinal tree cultivated along the roadside of Lahore City. This research aimed to investigate physiological, morphological and genomorphic characteristics of M. elengi under the influence of air pollution from vehicles. Healthy and mature leaves were collected from trees on Canal Bank and Mall roads of Lahore as the experimental sites and control sites were 20 km away from the experimental site. Different physiochemical, morphological, air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and molecular analysis for the detection of DNA damage were performed through comet assay. The results demonstrated the mean accumulated Cd, Pb, Cu and Ni heavy metal contents on the leaves were higher than the control plants (1.27, 3.22, 1.32 and 1.46 μg mg-1). APTI of trees was 9.04. Trees in these roads significantly (p < 0.01) had a lower leaf area, petiole length and leaf dry matter content in comparison to control site. Increased comet tail showed that DNA damage was higher for roadside trees than trees in the control area. For tolerance of air pollution, it necessary to check the APTI value for the M. elengi at the polluted road side of Lahore city. For long-term screening, the source and type of pollutants and consistent monitoring of various responses given by the trees should be known.

Personalized Nasal Protective Devices: Importance and Perspectives

Nowadays, in addition to diseases caused by environmental pollution, the importance of personalized protection against various infectious agents has become of paramount importance. Besides medicine, several technical and technological studies have been carried out to develop suitable devices. One such revolutionary solution is the use of personalized nasal filters, which allow our body to defend itself more effectively against external environmental damage and pathogens. These filters are small devices that are placed in the nose and specifically filter the inhaled environmental contaminants, allergens, and microorganisms according to individual needs. These devices not only play a key role in maintaining our health but also contribute to environmental protection, reducing the inhalation of pollutants and their harmful impact on the natural environment. Another advantage of personalized filters is that they also provide an opportunity to strengthen our individual immune systems. The use of personalized filters allows medicine to provide optimized protection for everyone, focusing on individual genetic and immunological conditions. The momentum behind the development and research of personalized nasal filters has reached astonishing proportions today. Nowadays, many research groups and medical institutions are working to create new materials, nanotechnologies, and bioinformatics solutions in order to create even more effective personalized nasal filters that can also be shaped easily and safely. Considering the needs of the users is at least as important during development as the efficiency of the device. These two properties together determine the success of the product. Industry research focuses not only on improving the efficiency of devices, but also on making them more responsive to user needs, comfort, and portability. Based on all this, it can be concluded that personalized nasal filters can be a promising and innovative solution for protection against environmental pollutants and pathogens. Through a commitment to the research and development of technology, the long-term impact of such devices on our health and the environment can be significant, contributing to improving people's quality of life and creating a sustainable future. With unique solutions and continuous research, we give hope that in the future, despite the environmental challenges, we can enjoy the protection of our health with even more efficient and sophisticated devices.

Assessment of air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API) of selected roadside plant species for the green belt development at Ratnagiri City in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India

Small towns are becoming hotspots of pollution due to industrial, urbanisation, and domestic activities. Air pollution affects human health and it is also responsible for physiological changes in plants. Green belt development programmes are cost-effective for the minimisation of air pollution. In the present study, to calculate air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API), samples of 25 plant species were collected from each area i.e. the industrial (I), urban (U), and rural (R) areas and analysed for different parameters. Amongst all three areas, APTI of Artocarpus heterophyllus (46.74), Calotropis gigantea (43.63), and Bauhinia racemose (42.11) have shown the highest values and these plants can act as an inhibitor of air pollution. Also, the APTI of Ocimum tenuiflorum has found to be the lowest (12.05, 11.32, 12.86) as compared to other plant species amongst the three areas. Statistical analysis reveals that values of R² are consistent in case of total chlorophyll (TC) and ascorbic acid (AA). API index showed the efficiency of Calotropis gigantea (excellent), Artocarpus heterophyllus (very good), and Mangifera indica (very good) for the green belt development around the selected areas. It is recommended to plant above-mentioned plant species along the roadside by considering their air pollution tolerance ability and medicinal as well as economic importance. Furthermore, it is suggested to plant species of Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit) and Mangifera indica (Alphonso mango) which will generate income source for the local government bodies (Ratnagiri Municipal Council), as the fruits and wood of these plants can be exported and sold.