Air pollution induced vegetation stress – The Air Pollution Tolerance Index as a quick tool for city health evaluation

Molnár, Vanda Éva; Simon, Edina; Tóthmérész, Béla; Ninsawat, Sarawut; Szabó, Szilárd

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106234

Cited by 79 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…These biochemical parameters are dependent on each other and most responsive to air pollution. Based on APTI values, low APTI plant species can be used in low pollution areas as bio-indicators, while high APTI plant species can be used in highly polluted areas to mitigate air pollution [22,23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing air pollution tolerance of plant species in vegetation traffic barriers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Shrestha

Baral

Dhital

et al. 2021

Sustain Environ Res

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Vegetation traffic barriers along roads can be an effective structure to improve roadside air quality and to reduce human exposure to traffic air pollutants. However, the selection of the plant species should be considered as an important design parameter for vegetation traffic barriers because different plant species demonstrate different levels of tolerance to air pollutants. This study compares the air pollution tolerance of different plant species found in the vegetation traffic barriers in the Kathmandu valley. Four biochemical parameters (relative water content, leaf extract pH, total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid) and the dust-capturing potential of plants were analyzed. Out of the nine selected species, Cinnamomum camphora showed the highest tolerance to air pollution based on the air pollution tolerance index. Similarly, Schefflera pueckleri, Psidium guajava and Ficus benjamina were found to be the sensitive species, while Ficus sp., Nerium oleander, Thuja sp., Dypsis lutescens and Albizia julibrissin were found to have a moderate level of tolerance to air pollution. N. oleander had the highest dust-capturing potential. Considering both air pollution tolerance index and dust-capturing potential, C. camphora, N. oleander and A. julibrissin were found to be the most suitable species for the roadside plantation. The findings of this study might have important implications for plant species selection for vegetation traffic barriers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing air pollution tolerance of plant species in vegetation traffic barriers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Shrestha

Baral

Dhital

et al. 2021

Sustain Environ Res

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“…Urban trees are used for indirect monitoring of PM and heavy metals in urban environments due to their distribution and cost-effectiveness [ 14 ]. The accumulation of air contaminants by plants is widely documented [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Trees are particularly efficient in trapping; thus, reducing airborne particles that can deposit in tree leaves’ stomatal openings and waxy cuticles [ 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollution Assessment Based on Element Concentration of Tree Leaves and Topsoil in Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

Molnár

Simon

Ninsawat

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Atmospheric aerosol particles containing heavy metal contaminants deposit on the surface of plant leaves and the topsoil. Our aim was to reveal the pollution along an industrial–urban–rural gradient (IURG) in the central provinces of Thailand. Leaf samples from Ficus religiosa and Mimusops elengi were collected along with topsoil samples under the selected trees. Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations were determined by ICP-OES in soil and plant samples. Soils were not polluted according to the critical value; furthermore, the elemental composition did not differ among the sampling sites of the IURG. The rural site was also polluted due to heavy amounts of untreated wastewater of the adjacent Chao Phraya River. Bioaccumulation factors of Ba, Cu, and Mn was higher than 1, suggesting active accumulation of these elements in plant tissue. Our findings proved that the deposition of air pollutants and the resistance to air pollutants in the case of plant leaves were different and that humus materials of the soils had relevant role in bioaccumulation of Al, Ba, and Cu. At the same time, the geochemical background, the source of pollution, and the local plant species greatly influence the metal content of any given environmental compartment.

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“…However, this study did not focus on the association between city size and CO [ 6 ]. A study by Molnár et al (2020) confirmed the independent effect of city size on air pollution, as measured by the Air Pollution Tolerance Index [ 10 ]. However, the study did not isolate the specific air pollutants contributing to this association.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The Relationship between City Size and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Concentration and Their Effect on Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

Saadi

Tirosh

Schnell

2021

IJERPH

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Generally, larger cities are characterized by traffic congestion, which is associated with higher concentrations of pollution, including Carbon Monoxide (CO) pollution. However, this convention requires empirical support on the basis of accurate and reliable measurements. In addition, the assessment of the effect of CO on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), has yielded conflicting results. A majority of the (few) studies on the topic have shown that increases in CO concentration of up to about 10 parts per million (ppm) are associated with a decrease in stress and risk to health in subjects. Beyond the hypothesis postulating city size as a determinant of increased CO concentration, the hypothesis proposing a causal link between CO concentration and HRV balance also requires empirical support. This article compares CO concentrations in a large metropolis with those in a small town, analyzing the relationship between CO and the HRV responses of young women in terms of city size. Four different types of environments were compared, taking into account mediating variables. The study participants spent 35 min in selected environments (a city center, a residential environment, a park, and a home) wearing Polar devices to measure HRV, and portable devices to measure noise thermal load and CO. The average concentrations of CO in each environment were calculated, along with the time distribution of the CO concentration, and the regression slopes between the concentrations of CO and the ANS balance, as measured by the low frequency power/high frequency power ratio (LF/HF) expressed as an HRV index. The results show that, regardless of size, the cities measured were all characterized by low levels of CO, far below the maximal accepted threshold standards, and that urban residents were exposed to these concentrations for less than half of the daytime hours. Furthermore, in contrast to the common view, larger cities do not necessarily accumulate higher concentrations of CO compared to small cities, regardless of the level of transport congestion. This study confirms the findings of the majority of the other studies on the subject, which showed a decrease in stress (as measured by HRV) as a result of an increase in CO concentrations below 7 ppm. Finally, following the assessment of the differential contribution attributed to the different environmental factors, it appears that noise, thermal load, and congestion all contribute more to a higher level of HRV balance than CO. This finding highlights the importance of a multivariable approach to the study, and a remediation of the effect of environmental factors on stress in urban environments.

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Air pollution induced vegetation stress – The Air Pollution Tolerance Index as a quick tool for city health evaluation

Cited by 79 publications

References 39 publications

Assessing air pollution tolerance of plant species in vegetation traffic barriers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Assessing air pollution tolerance of plant species in vegetation traffic barriers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Pollution Assessment Based on Element Concentration of Tree Leaves and Topsoil in Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

The Relationship between City Size and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Concentration and Their Effect on Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

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