Assessment of Air Pollution Tolerance Index and Anticipated Performance Index of Roadside Tree Species Near Rural School

Abstract

AbstractMonitoring of ambient air quality is done mainly to ensure whether the quality is acceptable and to prevent the deterioration of health. The monitoring of urban air quality requires sophisticated instruments to effectively monitor the ambient air. The present study has devised an alternative to the current situation where trees are used as an indicator of the study area using air pollution tolerance index. To understand the impact of air pollutants on the tree species at the study area near the rural school. Studies are carried out to determine the physiological responses and biochemical changes in the selected tree species near the rural school. The objective is to identify tolerance and sensitive tree species near the rural school using the air pollution tolerance index (APTI). The leaf samples were collected from the selected tree species which were used to determine the APTI through the biochemical parameters such as pH, ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll and relative water content. The response of the plants toward air pollution is assessed through APTI; tolerant species found are Albizia saman and Azadirachta indica, intermediate species Ficus religiosa and Syzygium cumini are in the category of intermediate and Tectona grandis is found to be sensitive species. The selected species were subjected to API for evaluation of the performance of the tree to recommend it for the green belt development. Based on the APTI, biological and socioeconomic importance, the selected tree species were graded and categorized based on their performance. Thus APTI and API determination provides the combating efficiency of the selected tree species against air pollution based on its biochemical characteristics, biological and socioeconomic importance. Tree species were also recommended for the green belt development in the study locale which will be effective in its purpose.KeywordsBio-indicatorsAir pollutionBio-accumulatorsGreen belt and tolerance