Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most harmful inhaled pollutants. When PM is emitted into the atmosphere, the only possible method for cleaning ambient air is through vegetation acting as biological filters for pollutants. However, in winter periods when the concentration of PM is usually the highest, the efficiency of plants is very low. The aim of this work was therefore to examine the accumulation of PM and selected trace elements (TE) by three species, evergreen coniferous Taxus baccata L. and Pinus nigra Arn., and deciduous Carpinus betulus L. during the winter season. The highest amounts of PM accumulated on the foliage of P. nigra, while TE on the leaves of C. betulus. Most of the PM accumulated on plant foliage belonged to the large fraction size (10–100 μm) and was deposited on the surface of foliage (SPM). The concentration of four TE (Ni, Pb, Cd, and Sb) was higher in PM accumulated on foliage, while in the case of three other TE (Zn, Cr and Mg), their concentration was higher in plant tissue. The TE were recorded in all PM size fractions and were rather equally distributed between surface PM (SPM) and in-wax PM (WPM). These findings have implications for urban plantings in countries with short vegetative season, where tolerant conifer species and deciduous species which keep foliage through winter should be included in urban forest plantings due to their efficiency in the removal of pollutants from the air.
Highlights
particulate matter (PM) in ambient air in winterIn urban areas, air pollution is an increasing threat to human health (EEA 2015)
We provide clear evidence that airborne PM is an important source of trace elements (TE), including heavy metals, and that plants, if used properly, can serve as efficient green filters purifying ambient air from toxic TE
The TE were recorded in all PM size fractions accumulated on plant foliage and were rather distributed between surface PM (SPM) and wax PM (WPM)
Summary
Air pollution is an increasing threat to human health (EEA 2015). One of the most dangerous inhaled pollutants is particulate matter (PM) (Kim et al 2015), which is composed of liquid and solid particles, both organic and inorganic (Bell et al 2011), with an aerodynamic diameter in the range of 0.001–100 μm (Farmer 2002). Chronic exposure to PM is the cause of various health problems (Kim et al 2015). The concentration of PM in ambient air is especially high during winter periods and cold episodes, when PM emission is increased by greater car traffic and the necessity of domestic heating (Majewski et al 2011). The unfavourable synoptic-scale (anti-cyclonic circulation) and local meteorological conditions (very low temperature, low wind speeds, surface layer inversions)
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