BRICK KILN INDUCED AIR POLLUTION: ASSESSMENT THROUGH APTI OF PLANT SPECIES

Plants purify the atmosphere by absorbing pollutants on their leaf surfaces. As a result, the accumulated pollutants have a negative impact on the leaves. It affects the plant’s air pollution tolerance index (APTI), leaf extract pH (pH), relative water content (RWC), total chlorophyll content (TC), and ascorbic acid content (AA). These negative repercussions serve as indications of the pollution levels in the area. The current study assesses air pollution by measuring biochemical properties of trees as indicators (bioindicators), which are then used to estimate seasonal variations in air quality in that location. Several bio-chemical leaf parameters such as pH, relative water content, total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid were measured in seven different plants placed near brick kilns throughout the winter, summer, and post-monsoon seasons. Study carried out near brick kilns of Bundia village, Brajrajnagar Tehsil, Jharsuguda, Odisha. Plants selected for analysis are Azadirachta indica, Buchanania lanzan, Butea monosperma, Calotropis gigantea, Holarrhena pubescens, Lantana Camara and Ziziphus jujuba. Their air pollution tolerance index values (APTI) were calculated and considered as a measure of air pollution levels of that area. The pollution level around brick kiln locations was found to be higher during the summer and winter seasons as compared to that of the post-monsoon season. This may be due to precipitation effect of rain. In different studies SPM, SO 2 and NO 2 levels were found to be less as compared to winter and summer. The overall amount of air pollution was found to be higher during the winter season than during the summer season.