Particulate matter bio-monitoring through magnetic properties of an Indo-Burma hotspot region

Abstract

ABSTRACTPresent study aimed to investigate the bio-monitoring study of particulate matter (PM) pollutants of 12 roadside plant species, in Aizawl, Mizoram, India (an Indo-Burma hot spot region). While, the second part was ascribed to the bio-magnetic monitoring stidies. Pertaining to first part of study, highest dust deposition was noted for Ramrikawn (RKN-Med) site on Ficus bengalensis (1.2 mg cm−2) and lowest in Bauhinia variegate (0.8 mg cm−2). Further, increased concentration of heavy metals (Fe, Cu and Zn) was recorded at RKN-Med site. Roadside plant leaves of F. bengalensis recorded maximum accumulation of Fe (26.1 mg kg−1) and Cu (19.5 mg kg−1) while Cassia auriculata (12.1 mg kg−1) showed lowest accumulation of Fe. B. variegate (1.88 mg kg−1) recorded lowest accumulation of Cu. Zn was recorded maximum (48.2 mg kg−1) in Mangifera indica while B. variegate showed lowest accumulation of 11.3 mg kg−1 Cu at Ramrikawn site. In relation to second part of the study, M. indica, Ficus benghalensis, Psidium guajava and Artocarpus heterophyllus were found to be efficient in bio-magnetic monitoring because all the magnetic properties (magnetic susceptibility, anhysteretic remanent magnetisation and isothermal remanent magnetisation) were high and significantly correlated with ambient PM (R2 = 0.424 to R2 = 0.998) thus may act as proxy for ambient PM.