In terms of the process of air purification, a lot of attention has been devoted to trees and shr... more In terms of the process of air purification, a lot of attention has been devoted to trees and shrubs. Little attention has been paid to herbaceous vegetation from the lower forest layers. Urban forests are often located on the outskirts of cities and surround exit roads where there is heavy traffic, generating particulate matter (PM) pollution. The aim of this study was to investigate the spread of PM from the road traffic in the air and to investigate how individual layers of urban forests accumulate PM. We conducted comparative analyses of PM accumulation on plants in five zones away from the road, into the forest, in the air, and in four vegetation layers: mosses, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. The results show that all forest layers accumulate PM. We show that PM is very efficiently accumulated by herbaceous plants growing along roadsides, and that the PM that was not deposited on herbaceous plants was accumulated by trees and shrubs. With increasing distance from the road...
Plants in urban areas interact with air quality in numerous ways. Firstly, pollutants from indust... more Plants in urban areas interact with air quality in numerous ways. Firstly, pollutants from industry, vehicular and residential sources can be detrimental to plant growth. Secondly, plants sometimes contribute to poor air quality, for instance by emitting allergens such as pollen, or by trapping pollutants in street canyons and thirdly, with appropriate placement some species improve air quality through phytoremediation. A common urban pollutant is particulate matter (PM small particles of solid or liquid). While this is of concern to human health, less well known is its effect on vegetation and while moss is commonly studied as a biomonitor, there is little research on how it is affected by urbanisation. Our objective was to measure PM entrapment by roadside moss turfs and compare it to leaves of a common Australian tree species, Pittosporum undulatum on an urban gradient.,, Publication Details Haynes, A., Popek, R., Boles, M., Paton-Walsh, C. & Robinson, S. A. (2019). Of turf, tree...
It has already been proven that trees and shrubs, can efficiently remove particulate matter (PM) ... more It has already been proven that trees and shrubs, can efficiently remove particulate matter (PM) from air. However, almost nothing is known about PM accumulation by herbaceous plants (grasses and forbs) found in urban meadows. Meadows, unlike trees and shrubs, can be located close to roads, one of the main sources of PM in cites. The aim of this study was to investigate the tolerance to urban condition and PM accumulation in the immediate roads vicinity of selected plants species in urban meadows. PM accumulation of annual and perennial meadows was compared with that of lawns. Results were interpreted in the context of species composition, biomass production, soil conditions and ambient PM concentrations. Of the species grown in annual meadows, the highest PM accumulation was found in Achillea millefolium L., Chenopodium album L. and Echium vulgare L., while Centaurea scabiosa L., Echium vulgare L. and Convolvulus arvensis L. accumulated the largest amounts of PM in perennial meadows. PM deposition on plants was positively correlated with a feathery leaf shape. For species in the annual meadows, a positive correlation was also found between PM accumulation and the wax content on plants. The presence of hairs on leaves, leaf size and plant growth pattern had no effect on PM deposition on plants. PM accumulation in one square metre of urban meadow was on average greater than that of lawn, regardless of meadow species' composition, age and location. The greatest accumulation of PM was found in a perennial meadow with low biodiversity but the greatest biomass. It would appear that the biomass produced by meadows and canopy structure has a crucial impact on the amount of PM accumulated by meadow plants. The results obtained indicate that meadows could be an important element of nature-based solutions for mitigating air pollution in urbanised areas.
Streszczenie. Niekorzystny wpływ zanieczyszczeń powietrza na samopoczucie, zdrowie i życie człowi... more Streszczenie. Niekorzystny wpływ zanieczyszczeń powietrza na samopoczucie, zdrowie i życie człowieka został potwierdzony w wielu publikacjach medycznych. Jednym z najbardziej niebezpiecznych zanieczyszczeń wdychanych przez człowieka są mikropyły (ang. particular matters, PM). W przypadku gdy zanieczyszczenia zostały wyemitowane do atmosfery, jedyną możliwą alternatywą oczyszczenia powietrza jest wykorzystanie biotechnologii środowiskowej – fitoremediacji, czyli uprawy roślin, na powierzchni których osadzają się mikropyły. Badania dotyczące selekcji najbardziej efektywnych gatunków/odmian do akumulacji PM w terenie zurbanizowanym są jak dotąd rzadko prezentowane w literaturze. Celem badań była ocena porównawcza zdolności do gromadzenia mikropyłów na powierzchni liści roślin szesnastu gatunków krzewów i trzech gatunków pnączy, polecanych do nasadzeń w terenie zurbanizowanym. Wśród badanych gatunków największą zdolnością do akumulacji PM odznaczał się Eleagnus angustifolia, natomiast n...
The Science of the total environment, Jan 15, 2012
Particulate matter (PM) accumulation on leaves of 22 trees and 25 shrubs was examined in test fie... more Particulate matter (PM) accumulation on leaves of 22 trees and 25 shrubs was examined in test fields in Norway and Poland. Leaf PM in different particle size fractions (PM(10), PM(2.5), PM(0.2)) differed among the species, by 10- to 15-folds at both test sites. Pinus mugo and Pinus sylvestris, Taxus media and Taxus baccata, Stephanandra incisa and Betula pendula were efficient species in capturing PM. Less efficient species were Acer platanoides, Prunus avium and Tilia cordata. Differences among species within the same genus were also observed. Important traits for PM accumulation were leaf properties such as hair and wax cover. The ranking presented in terms of capturing PM can be used to select species for air pollution removal in urban areas. Efficient plant species and planting designs that can shield vulnerable areas in urban settings from polluting traffic etc. can be used to decrease human exposure to anthropogenic pollutants.
Particulate matter (PM) is an air contaminant in urban and industrial areas that often exceeds li... more Particulate matter (PM) is an air contaminant in urban and industrial areas that often exceeds limit values, creating serious problems due to its harmful effects on health. Planting trees and shrubs as air filters is a way to improve air quality in these areas. However,further knowledge on species effectiveness in air purification is essential This study compared four species of tree (Acer campestre L, Fraxinus excelsior L, Platanus x hispanica Mill. ex Muenchh. 'Acerifolia', Tilia cordata Mill.), three species of shrub (Forsythia x intermedia Zabel, Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim., Spiraea japonica L.), and one climber species (Hedera helix L) that are commonly cultivated along streets in Poland to capture fine, coarse and larger particles from air. Separate gravimetric analyses were performed to quantify PM deposited on surfaces and trapped in waxes. Significant differences were found between the plant species tested. The distribution of different particle size fractions differed between and within species and also between leaf surfaces and in waxes.
Particulate matter (PM) as an air pollutant can be harmful for human health through allergic, mut... more Particulate matter (PM) as an air pollutant can be harmful for human health through allergic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Although the main focus is on decreasing air pollution, after PM has been emitted to the atmosphere, one ofthe realistic options to decrease it's concentrations in urbanized area will be phytoremediation. This study compared the capacity to capture PM from air of seven tree species commonly cultivated in Poland (Catalpa bignonioides Walter, Corylus colurna L., Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh., Ginkgo biloba L., Platanus x hispanica Mill. ex Muenchh., Quercus rubra L., Tilia tomentosa Moench 'Brabant') and six shrub species (Acer tataricum subsp, ginnala (Maxim.) Wesm., Sambucus nigra L., Sorbaria sorbifolia (L) A.Br., Spiraea japonica L.f., Syringe meyeri C.K. Schneid. 'Palibin', Viburnum lantana L.). Significant differences were found between species in mass of total PM accumulation for two PM categories and three size fractions determin...
L'invention concerne une canne qui comprend : une base possedant au moins une roue et une ouv... more L'invention concerne une canne qui comprend : une base possedant au moins une roue et une ouverture ; une tige support dont la longueur est ajustable par un utilisateur et qui comprend une premiere extremite reliee a la base ; un frein dispose a l'interieur de l'ouverture et dont la longueur est ajustable par un utilisateur ; et au moins une poignee reliee a la tige support, ladite poignee etant en contact fonctionnel avec le frein.
Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most harmful inhaled pollutants. Where pollutants have been... more Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most harmful inhaled pollutants. Where pollutants have been emitted into the atmosphere, the most effective method for cleaning the air is through phytoremediation, whereby plants act as biological filters. PM has a negative impact on plants, but knowledge of PM effects on the photosynthetic apparatus is limited. In European forests, species of the genus Prunus L. play a key role in the composition of the forest understory and urban as well as industrial plantings. Shrubs of the native P. padus L. and closely-related invasive alien P. serotina Ehrh. are particularly widespread. Thus, both are good model species in which to study the impact of PM pollution. The aim of this study was to assess the accumulation of PM in the context of leaf morphology and amount of epicuticular waxes on foliage, and the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus of P. padus and P. serotina. The study was conducted under controlled conditions using two variants of du...
The present study evaluated the effects of exogenous hemin on cadmium toxicity in terms of metal ... more The present study evaluated the effects of exogenous hemin on cadmium toxicity in terms of metal accretion and stress resilience in Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek). One-week-old seedlings were treated with CdCl2 (50 μM) alone and in combination with hemin (0.5 mM) in half-strength Hoagland medium for 96 h. The optimum concentrations of Cd and hemin were determined on the basis of haem oxygenase-1 activity. The results demonstrated that under Cd stress, plants accumulated a considerable amount of metal in their tissues, and the accumulation was higher in roots than in leaves, which significantly reduced the plant biomass and chlorophyll content by increasing the oxidative stress (MDA and H2O2 content). However, hemin supplementation under Cd,-stress improved plant growth by enhancing the harvestable biomass and photosynthetic pigments, increasing antioxidant activities (SOD, APX, POD, HO-1 and proline), lowering oxidative damage and increasing Cd tolerance in plants. Furthermore, the appl...
This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the special issue of Atmosphere on Air Quali... more This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the special issue of Atmosphere on Air Quality in New South Wales and discusses the implications of the work for policy makers and individuals. This special edition presents new air quality research in Australia undertaken by (or in association with) the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes hub, which is funded by the National Environmental Science Program on behalf of the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy. Air pollution in Australian cities is generally low, with typical concentrations of key pollutants at much lower levels than experienced in comparable cities in many other parts of the world. Australian cities do experience occasional exceedances in ozone and PM2.5 (above air pollution guidelines), as well as extreme pollution events, often as a result of bushfires, dust storms, or heatwaves. Even in the absence of extreme events, natural emissions play a significant role in influencing the Australian u...
Urbanisation largely consists of removing native vegetation. Plants that remain interact with air... more Urbanisation largely consists of removing native vegetation. Plants that remain interact with air quality in complex ways. Pollutants can be detrimental to plant growth; plants sometimes reduce air quality, yet some species also improve it through phytoremediation. A common pollutant of concern to human health in urban areas is particulate matter (PM), small particles of solid or liquid. Our study compared roadside moss turfs with leaves of a common Australian tree species, Pittosporum undulatum, in their ability to capture PM along an urban gradient. We sampled nine sites, three in each of three levels of urbanisation: low, medium, and high according to road type (freeway, suburban road, quiet peri-urban road). In addition, we deployed a PM monitor over a two-week period in one site of each urban level to provide concentrations of PM2.5. We used chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm; maximum quantum yield of photosystem II) as a measure of plant stress. We extracted PM in three size frac...
Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most dangerous pollutants in the air. Urban vegetation, esp... more Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most dangerous pollutants in the air. Urban vegetation, especially trees and shrubs, accumulate PM and reduce its concentration in ambient air. The aim of this study was to examine 10 tree and shrub species common for the Indian city of Jodhpur (Rajasthan) located on the edge of the Thar Desert and determine: (1) the accumulation of surface and in-wax PM (both in three different size fractions), (2) the amount of epicuticular waxes on foliage, (3) the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd and Cu) on/in the leaves of the examined species, and (4) the level of heme oxygenase enzyme in leaves that accumulate PM and heavy metals. Among the investigated species, F. religiosa and C. myxa accumulated the greatest amount of total PM. F. religiosa is a tall tree with a lush, large crown and leaves with wavy edge, convex veins and long petioles, while C. myxa have hairy leaves with convex veins. The lowest PM accumulation was recorded for drought resistant S...
Trees in urban and industrial areas significantly help to limit the amount of particulate matter ... more Trees in urban and industrial areas significantly help to limit the amount of particulate matter (PM) suspended in the air, but PM has a negative impact on their life. The amount of PM gathered on leaves depends on quantity, size, and morphology of leaves and can also be increased by the presence of epicuticular waxes, in which PM can become stuck or immersed. In this study, we determined the ability of PM to accumulate on leaves in relation to the species of tree and PM source. We tested saplings of three common European tree species (Betula pendula, Quercus robur, and Tilia cordata) by experimentally polluting them with PM from different sources (cement, construction, and roadside PM), and then assessing the effects of PM on plant growth and ecophysiology. In all studied species, we have found two types of PM accumulation: a layer on the leaf surface and an in-wax layer. Results showed that the studied species accumulate PM on their leaf blade, reducing the efficiency of its photo...
As interest in improving urban air quality grows, phytoremediation—amelioration through plants—is... more As interest in improving urban air quality grows, phytoremediation—amelioration through plants—is an increasingly popular method of targeting particulate matter (PM), one of the most harmful pollutants. Decades of research has proven that plants effectively capture PM from air; however, more information is needed on the dynamics of PM accumulation. Our study evaluated the effects of meteorological conditions on the dynamics of PM deposition, wash off and resuspension using four Australian tree species growing under natural conditions near a busy highway. Accumulation of PM on foliage was analyzed over the short term (daily changes) and over a longer time period (weekly changes). The results obtained were correlated with ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10, rain intensity and wind strength. The highest accumulation of PM was recorded for Eucalyptus ovata (100.2 µg cm−2), which also had the thickest wax layer while the lowest was for Brachychiton acerifolius (77.9 µg cm−2). PM ac...
Environmental science and pollution research international, 2018
Woody plants growing along streets and construction sites play an important role in removing harm... more Woody plants growing along streets and construction sites play an important role in removing harmful particulate matter (PM). Researchers rarely consider the impact of different types and size fractions of PM deposited on the leaves on insect folivores. We determined differences in the accumulation of cement and roadside PM on the leaves of two Prunus species (P. padus and P. serotina) with different leaf surface structures. We also determined the effect of PM on the beetle Gonioctena quinquepunctata, the main pest of these plants. Saplings were artificially dusted in greenhouses and leaves were utilised for larval and adult insect stages feeding in laboratory conditions. Road PM accumulated in greater amounts than did cement PM, regardless of plant species. For both PM sources, P. padus accumulated twofold more than did P. serotina. Insect survival was negatively affected by PM pollution; however, neither Prunus species nor PM source variant significantly affected masses of larvae ...
In terms of the process of air purification, a lot of attention has been devoted to trees and shr... more In terms of the process of air purification, a lot of attention has been devoted to trees and shrubs. Little attention has been paid to herbaceous vegetation from the lower forest layers. Urban forests are often located on the outskirts of cities and surround exit roads where there is heavy traffic, generating particulate matter (PM) pollution. The aim of this study was to investigate the spread of PM from the road traffic in the air and to investigate how individual layers of urban forests accumulate PM. We conducted comparative analyses of PM accumulation on plants in five zones away from the road, into the forest, in the air, and in four vegetation layers: mosses, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. The results show that all forest layers accumulate PM. We show that PM is very efficiently accumulated by herbaceous plants growing along roadsides, and that the PM that was not deposited on herbaceous plants was accumulated by trees and shrubs. With increasing distance from the road...
Plants in urban areas interact with air quality in numerous ways. Firstly, pollutants from indust... more Plants in urban areas interact with air quality in numerous ways. Firstly, pollutants from industry, vehicular and residential sources can be detrimental to plant growth. Secondly, plants sometimes contribute to poor air quality, for instance by emitting allergens such as pollen, or by trapping pollutants in street canyons and thirdly, with appropriate placement some species improve air quality through phytoremediation. A common urban pollutant is particulate matter (PM small particles of solid or liquid). While this is of concern to human health, less well known is its effect on vegetation and while moss is commonly studied as a biomonitor, there is little research on how it is affected by urbanisation. Our objective was to measure PM entrapment by roadside moss turfs and compare it to leaves of a common Australian tree species, Pittosporum undulatum on an urban gradient.,, Publication Details Haynes, A., Popek, R., Boles, M., Paton-Walsh, C. & Robinson, S. A. (2019). Of turf, tree...
It has already been proven that trees and shrubs, can efficiently remove particulate matter (PM) ... more It has already been proven that trees and shrubs, can efficiently remove particulate matter (PM) from air. However, almost nothing is known about PM accumulation by herbaceous plants (grasses and forbs) found in urban meadows. Meadows, unlike trees and shrubs, can be located close to roads, one of the main sources of PM in cites. The aim of this study was to investigate the tolerance to urban condition and PM accumulation in the immediate roads vicinity of selected plants species in urban meadows. PM accumulation of annual and perennial meadows was compared with that of lawns. Results were interpreted in the context of species composition, biomass production, soil conditions and ambient PM concentrations. Of the species grown in annual meadows, the highest PM accumulation was found in Achillea millefolium L., Chenopodium album L. and Echium vulgare L., while Centaurea scabiosa L., Echium vulgare L. and Convolvulus arvensis L. accumulated the largest amounts of PM in perennial meadows. PM deposition on plants was positively correlated with a feathery leaf shape. For species in the annual meadows, a positive correlation was also found between PM accumulation and the wax content on plants. The presence of hairs on leaves, leaf size and plant growth pattern had no effect on PM deposition on plants. PM accumulation in one square metre of urban meadow was on average greater than that of lawn, regardless of meadow species' composition, age and location. The greatest accumulation of PM was found in a perennial meadow with low biodiversity but the greatest biomass. It would appear that the biomass produced by meadows and canopy structure has a crucial impact on the amount of PM accumulated by meadow plants. The results obtained indicate that meadows could be an important element of nature-based solutions for mitigating air pollution in urbanised areas.
Streszczenie. Niekorzystny wpływ zanieczyszczeń powietrza na samopoczucie, zdrowie i życie człowi... more Streszczenie. Niekorzystny wpływ zanieczyszczeń powietrza na samopoczucie, zdrowie i życie człowieka został potwierdzony w wielu publikacjach medycznych. Jednym z najbardziej niebezpiecznych zanieczyszczeń wdychanych przez człowieka są mikropyły (ang. particular matters, PM). W przypadku gdy zanieczyszczenia zostały wyemitowane do atmosfery, jedyną możliwą alternatywą oczyszczenia powietrza jest wykorzystanie biotechnologii środowiskowej – fitoremediacji, czyli uprawy roślin, na powierzchni których osadzają się mikropyły. Badania dotyczące selekcji najbardziej efektywnych gatunków/odmian do akumulacji PM w terenie zurbanizowanym są jak dotąd rzadko prezentowane w literaturze. Celem badań była ocena porównawcza zdolności do gromadzenia mikropyłów na powierzchni liści roślin szesnastu gatunków krzewów i trzech gatunków pnączy, polecanych do nasadzeń w terenie zurbanizowanym. Wśród badanych gatunków największą zdolnością do akumulacji PM odznaczał się Eleagnus angustifolia, natomiast n...
The Science of the total environment, Jan 15, 2012
Particulate matter (PM) accumulation on leaves of 22 trees and 25 shrubs was examined in test fie... more Particulate matter (PM) accumulation on leaves of 22 trees and 25 shrubs was examined in test fields in Norway and Poland. Leaf PM in different particle size fractions (PM(10), PM(2.5), PM(0.2)) differed among the species, by 10- to 15-folds at both test sites. Pinus mugo and Pinus sylvestris, Taxus media and Taxus baccata, Stephanandra incisa and Betula pendula were efficient species in capturing PM. Less efficient species were Acer platanoides, Prunus avium and Tilia cordata. Differences among species within the same genus were also observed. Important traits for PM accumulation were leaf properties such as hair and wax cover. The ranking presented in terms of capturing PM can be used to select species for air pollution removal in urban areas. Efficient plant species and planting designs that can shield vulnerable areas in urban settings from polluting traffic etc. can be used to decrease human exposure to anthropogenic pollutants.
Particulate matter (PM) is an air contaminant in urban and industrial areas that often exceeds li... more Particulate matter (PM) is an air contaminant in urban and industrial areas that often exceeds limit values, creating serious problems due to its harmful effects on health. Planting trees and shrubs as air filters is a way to improve air quality in these areas. However,further knowledge on species effectiveness in air purification is essential This study compared four species of tree (Acer campestre L, Fraxinus excelsior L, Platanus x hispanica Mill. ex Muenchh. 'Acerifolia', Tilia cordata Mill.), three species of shrub (Forsythia x intermedia Zabel, Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim., Spiraea japonica L.), and one climber species (Hedera helix L) that are commonly cultivated along streets in Poland to capture fine, coarse and larger particles from air. Separate gravimetric analyses were performed to quantify PM deposited on surfaces and trapped in waxes. Significant differences were found between the plant species tested. The distribution of different particle size fractions differed between and within species and also between leaf surfaces and in waxes.
Particulate matter (PM) as an air pollutant can be harmful for human health through allergic, mut... more Particulate matter (PM) as an air pollutant can be harmful for human health through allergic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Although the main focus is on decreasing air pollution, after PM has been emitted to the atmosphere, one ofthe realistic options to decrease it's concentrations in urbanized area will be phytoremediation. This study compared the capacity to capture PM from air of seven tree species commonly cultivated in Poland (Catalpa bignonioides Walter, Corylus colurna L., Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh., Ginkgo biloba L., Platanus x hispanica Mill. ex Muenchh., Quercus rubra L., Tilia tomentosa Moench 'Brabant') and six shrub species (Acer tataricum subsp, ginnala (Maxim.) Wesm., Sambucus nigra L., Sorbaria sorbifolia (L) A.Br., Spiraea japonica L.f., Syringe meyeri C.K. Schneid. 'Palibin', Viburnum lantana L.). Significant differences were found between species in mass of total PM accumulation for two PM categories and three size fractions determin...
L'invention concerne une canne qui comprend : une base possedant au moins une roue et une ouv... more L'invention concerne une canne qui comprend : une base possedant au moins une roue et une ouverture ; une tige support dont la longueur est ajustable par un utilisateur et qui comprend une premiere extremite reliee a la base ; un frein dispose a l'interieur de l'ouverture et dont la longueur est ajustable par un utilisateur ; et au moins une poignee reliee a la tige support, ladite poignee etant en contact fonctionnel avec le frein.
Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most harmful inhaled pollutants. Where pollutants have been... more Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most harmful inhaled pollutants. Where pollutants have been emitted into the atmosphere, the most effective method for cleaning the air is through phytoremediation, whereby plants act as biological filters. PM has a negative impact on plants, but knowledge of PM effects on the photosynthetic apparatus is limited. In European forests, species of the genus Prunus L. play a key role in the composition of the forest understory and urban as well as industrial plantings. Shrubs of the native P. padus L. and closely-related invasive alien P. serotina Ehrh. are particularly widespread. Thus, both are good model species in which to study the impact of PM pollution. The aim of this study was to assess the accumulation of PM in the context of leaf morphology and amount of epicuticular waxes on foliage, and the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus of P. padus and P. serotina. The study was conducted under controlled conditions using two variants of du...
The present study evaluated the effects of exogenous hemin on cadmium toxicity in terms of metal ... more The present study evaluated the effects of exogenous hemin on cadmium toxicity in terms of metal accretion and stress resilience in Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek). One-week-old seedlings were treated with CdCl2 (50 μM) alone and in combination with hemin (0.5 mM) in half-strength Hoagland medium for 96 h. The optimum concentrations of Cd and hemin were determined on the basis of haem oxygenase-1 activity. The results demonstrated that under Cd stress, plants accumulated a considerable amount of metal in their tissues, and the accumulation was higher in roots than in leaves, which significantly reduced the plant biomass and chlorophyll content by increasing the oxidative stress (MDA and H2O2 content). However, hemin supplementation under Cd,-stress improved plant growth by enhancing the harvestable biomass and photosynthetic pigments, increasing antioxidant activities (SOD, APX, POD, HO-1 and proline), lowering oxidative damage and increasing Cd tolerance in plants. Furthermore, the appl...
This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the special issue of Atmosphere on Air Quali... more This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the special issue of Atmosphere on Air Quality in New South Wales and discusses the implications of the work for policy makers and individuals. This special edition presents new air quality research in Australia undertaken by (or in association with) the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes hub, which is funded by the National Environmental Science Program on behalf of the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy. Air pollution in Australian cities is generally low, with typical concentrations of key pollutants at much lower levels than experienced in comparable cities in many other parts of the world. Australian cities do experience occasional exceedances in ozone and PM2.5 (above air pollution guidelines), as well as extreme pollution events, often as a result of bushfires, dust storms, or heatwaves. Even in the absence of extreme events, natural emissions play a significant role in influencing the Australian u...
Urbanisation largely consists of removing native vegetation. Plants that remain interact with air... more Urbanisation largely consists of removing native vegetation. Plants that remain interact with air quality in complex ways. Pollutants can be detrimental to plant growth; plants sometimes reduce air quality, yet some species also improve it through phytoremediation. A common pollutant of concern to human health in urban areas is particulate matter (PM), small particles of solid or liquid. Our study compared roadside moss turfs with leaves of a common Australian tree species, Pittosporum undulatum, in their ability to capture PM along an urban gradient. We sampled nine sites, three in each of three levels of urbanisation: low, medium, and high according to road type (freeway, suburban road, quiet peri-urban road). In addition, we deployed a PM monitor over a two-week period in one site of each urban level to provide concentrations of PM2.5. We used chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm; maximum quantum yield of photosystem II) as a measure of plant stress. We extracted PM in three size frac...
Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most dangerous pollutants in the air. Urban vegetation, esp... more Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most dangerous pollutants in the air. Urban vegetation, especially trees and shrubs, accumulate PM and reduce its concentration in ambient air. The aim of this study was to examine 10 tree and shrub species common for the Indian city of Jodhpur (Rajasthan) located on the edge of the Thar Desert and determine: (1) the accumulation of surface and in-wax PM (both in three different size fractions), (2) the amount of epicuticular waxes on foliage, (3) the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd and Cu) on/in the leaves of the examined species, and (4) the level of heme oxygenase enzyme in leaves that accumulate PM and heavy metals. Among the investigated species, F. religiosa and C. myxa accumulated the greatest amount of total PM. F. religiosa is a tall tree with a lush, large crown and leaves with wavy edge, convex veins and long petioles, while C. myxa have hairy leaves with convex veins. The lowest PM accumulation was recorded for drought resistant S...
Trees in urban and industrial areas significantly help to limit the amount of particulate matter ... more Trees in urban and industrial areas significantly help to limit the amount of particulate matter (PM) suspended in the air, but PM has a negative impact on their life. The amount of PM gathered on leaves depends on quantity, size, and morphology of leaves and can also be increased by the presence of epicuticular waxes, in which PM can become stuck or immersed. In this study, we determined the ability of PM to accumulate on leaves in relation to the species of tree and PM source. We tested saplings of three common European tree species (Betula pendula, Quercus robur, and Tilia cordata) by experimentally polluting them with PM from different sources (cement, construction, and roadside PM), and then assessing the effects of PM on plant growth and ecophysiology. In all studied species, we have found two types of PM accumulation: a layer on the leaf surface and an in-wax layer. Results showed that the studied species accumulate PM on their leaf blade, reducing the efficiency of its photo...
As interest in improving urban air quality grows, phytoremediation—amelioration through plants—is... more As interest in improving urban air quality grows, phytoremediation—amelioration through plants—is an increasingly popular method of targeting particulate matter (PM), one of the most harmful pollutants. Decades of research has proven that plants effectively capture PM from air; however, more information is needed on the dynamics of PM accumulation. Our study evaluated the effects of meteorological conditions on the dynamics of PM deposition, wash off and resuspension using four Australian tree species growing under natural conditions near a busy highway. Accumulation of PM on foliage was analyzed over the short term (daily changes) and over a longer time period (weekly changes). The results obtained were correlated with ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10, rain intensity and wind strength. The highest accumulation of PM was recorded for Eucalyptus ovata (100.2 µg cm−2), which also had the thickest wax layer while the lowest was for Brachychiton acerifolius (77.9 µg cm−2). PM ac...
Environmental science and pollution research international, 2018
Woody plants growing along streets and construction sites play an important role in removing harm... more Woody plants growing along streets and construction sites play an important role in removing harmful particulate matter (PM). Researchers rarely consider the impact of different types and size fractions of PM deposited on the leaves on insect folivores. We determined differences in the accumulation of cement and roadside PM on the leaves of two Prunus species (P. padus and P. serotina) with different leaf surface structures. We also determined the effect of PM on the beetle Gonioctena quinquepunctata, the main pest of these plants. Saplings were artificially dusted in greenhouses and leaves were utilised for larval and adult insect stages feeding in laboratory conditions. Road PM accumulated in greater amounts than did cement PM, regardless of plant species. For both PM sources, P. padus accumulated twofold more than did P. serotina. Insect survival was negatively affected by PM pollution; however, neither Prunus species nor PM source variant significantly affected masses of larvae ...
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Papers by Robert Popek