Impact and pollution indices of urban dust on selected plant species for green belt development: mitigation of the air pollution in NCR Delhi, India

Abstract

This paper reports biochemical changes in foliar of four plant species due to deposition of atmospheric dust falling onto the foliar surface. The paper also reports air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and air pollution index (API) in order to categorize the selected plants into sensitive and tolerant species against air pollution and their usefulness for green belt development in National Capital Region (NCR) Delhi. Two sites and four plant species Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Morus (Morus alba), Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo), and Ashok (Polyalthia longifolia) were selected for this study. Results indicated that for all the plant foliar, the dustfall fluxes were more than two times higher at the industrial site (SB) than that at the residential site (JNU). Among major ions (Cl−, F−, NO3 −, SO4 −2, Na+, NH4 +, K+, Ca++ and Mg++), Ca++ and SO4 −2 had very high fluxes representing as major constituents of dustfall at both the sites. APTI values suggested that all the four species are sensitive species and can be used as biological indicators. API values suggested that Arjun and Morus are very good performers (API = 5) whereas Sheesham and Ashok as only good performers (API = 4) further suggesting that Arjun and Morus species can be used for green belt development in NCR Delhi. Since Sheesham and Ashok have their aesthetic as well as economic values and are good performers, these can also be planted for green belt development.