FOLIAR DUST DEPOSITIONS ON URBAN PLANTS

Abstract

Studies of dust deposition on plants growing along road dividers in the city of Mumbai was carried out in December-2009 and March-2010. Foliar dust from the most commonly grown ornamental plant species found in the city ,Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd, Ficus benjamina Linn., Nerium odorum Aiton and Pedilanthus tithymaloides Poit. was estimated to undestandthe dust their capturing potentials. The leaves of these were collected from three different sites within the city viz, Colaba, Western Suburb and Western Express Highway . each site differed in the type of vehicles and the study was aimed at comparing dust fall in different areas of the city . Nerium odorum Aiton showed maximum dust capturing capacity. The area Colaba , was relatively less dusty in comparison to other sites. The study shows that plants can be effectively be used to monitor dust and mitigate the problem to some extent.