Assessment of air pollution tolerance and dust capturing capacity of various plant species of Mirzapur region, India

Abstract

With an increase in urbanization and industrialization, the number of automobiles has also increased significantly, contributing the largest percentage to air pollution. Air pollution has a detrimental impact on both human health and the environment, making it a significant global concern. Plantation along roads and highways is the first line of defence, as it reduces the negative impact, improves air quality, and provides thermal comfort. The present study was conducted at three different sites of the city of Mirzapur, located in Uttar Pradesh, India. The sites were Rajiv Gandhi South Campus (RGSC), residential areas of Mirzapur (MRA), and the state highway (SH). The study aims to assess the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI), Anticipated Performance Index (API), and Dust Capturing Capacity (DCC) of twelve commonly found species at all three sites. Studies suggested that Mangifera indica, Ficus religiosa, and Azadirachta indica have the highest APTI, while Acacia catechu had the least APTI at all three sites. M. indica and F. religiosa were excellent performers according to their API score at all three sites. DCC was highest in Butea monosperma, Calotopis procera, Alstonia scholaris, M. indica, and F. religiosa at all the sites. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship of APTI with relative water content (RWC) and ascorbic acid content (AA), whereas a positive correlation of DCC was observed with RWC, AA, and APTI, while a negative correlation was observed with total chlorophyll content (Tch). The linear regression plot shows the strongest positive relationship of APTI with AA. The study recommends air pollution-tolerant plant species for designing sustainable urban forestry and green belts that can reduce pollution and vehicular emissions and improve environmental health.