Abstract
Particulate matter (PM), including PM10 and PM2.5, has a major impact on air quality and public health. It has been shown that trees can capture PM and improve air quality. In this study, we used two-way ANOVA to investigate the significance of micro-morphological leaf surface characteristics of green trees in capturing PM at different parks in Beijing. The results show that leaf structure significantly impacts the ability of plants to capture PM. Pinus tabuliformis Carr. and Pinus bungeana Zucc. were mainly impacted by the density of stomata, waxy cuticle, and epidermis, while the major contributor to PM retention in other test trees, including Acer truncatum Bunge, Salix matsudana Koid., Populus tomentosa Carr. and Ginkgo biloba Linn. was leaf roughness. There were significant variations in leaf-droplet contact angle (representative of leaf wettability) and the ability of trees to capture PM (p < 0.05): the bigger the contact angle, the less able the plant was to capture particulate matter.
Highlights
Rapid industrialization and urbanization have led to serious air pollution challenges in many parts of China
The amount of particulate matter captured by the six species was significantly correlated with both leaf contact angles and leaf roughness (Figures 2 and 3)
The droplet contact angle was negatively correlated with total particulate matter density in the six investigated species, which means the wettability of leaves has an important effect on the ability of leaves to capture PM
Summary
Rapid industrialization and urbanization have led to serious air pollution challenges in many parts of China. As one of China’s largest cities, Beijing has suffered from severe air pollution due to this rapid urbanization and increase in motorized transportation [1,2]. According to statistics from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring center (BJMEMC), 42 days in 2015 reached severe levels of PM2.5 pollutions, accounting for 12% of the whole year. Particulate matter can regulate global, regional [4], and local climates [5,6]. This phenomenon is linked to a range of health problems, including damage to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and even premature death [7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
