A STUDY ON AIR POLLUTION TOLERANCE INDEX (APTI) AND ANTICIPATED PERFORMANCE INDEX (API) OF SOME PLANTS

Due to industrialization, urbanization and increasing number of vehicles air pollution has turn out to be serious problem today. Now a days particulate matter shows the undesirable effects on plants, animals and human beings also. Tree plantation programme is the best ways to control the air pollution. Most of the plants filter the air by their aerial elements. Vegetation naturally cleanses the atmosphere by absorbing gases and some particulate matters through leaves so they work as sink for air pollution and reduce pollution level in atmosphere. Leaves function as an efficient pollutant trapping device. Air pollution can directly affects plants via leaves or indirectly via soil acidification. Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) is an intrinsic quality of trees to control air pollution problems. The trees higher tolerance index are tolerance towards air pollution and can be used a source to control air pollution. Air pollution tolerance index can be used as an indicator of rate of air pollution. By combining biochemical and aggregate factors the anticipated performance index (API) is prepared which is used as development of green belt. Thus, the assessment of APTI and API potential of different trees are used to control air pollution.

Air Pollution Tolerence Index, Anticipated Performance Index of plants studied near selected sites at Salem, Dharmapuri District

Air pollution due to huge number of vehicles emitting toxic gas poisons both living environment affecting fauna and flora. Road side plants are affected mostly by pollution as they are primary acceptors and gets reflected in terms of tolerance and sensitivity to pollution. Hence, the present work was designed to study the air pollution tolerance (APTI) using biochemical parameters and anticipated performance index (API) of the plants collected near seven different locations. Among the plants assessed, all plants selected does not show much difference in ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, pH, relative water content, but that slight difference exhibited variations in air pollution tolerance index. Pongamia pinnata (33.16), Ficus religiosa (34.05) Near Asian rubber Industry, Kandampatty Byepass, Salem was found to be a tolerant species, Polyalthia longifolia (8.21) as very sensitive in plants studied Near KMB Granites Pvt. Ltd. Kottagoundampatty, Salem, and the rest was found to be moderately tolerent. Since, the studied plants show lesser surface area, the amount of dust collected was also less, which might be due to the climatic condition prevailed at that time of sample collection. Likewise, the API was found to be excellent in Yercaud lake view and very good in study area Duroflex company, Karimangalam, Dharmapuri, poor in study area Thanithotty Quarry, Salem as well as in KMB granites Pvt.Ltd. and good for the remaining three locations. So, the sensitive plants has to be protected that are located in these sites to reduce the pollution load.

Pollution Resistance Assessment of Plants Around Chromite Mine Based on Anticipated Performance Index, Dust Capturing Capacity and Metal Accumulation Index

Plant species sustaining under a polluted environment for long time are considered as potentially resistant species. Those plant species can be considered as an eco-sustainable tool used to bio-monitor and mitigate pollution. This study was carried out on total ten commonly available plant species to assess their anticipated performance index (API), Dust capturing capacity (DCC) and Metal accumulation index (MAI) in chromite mine and control area. According to Anticipated performance index (API) Macranga peltata, Holarrhena pubescens and Ficus hispida are highly tolerant species while Terminalia arjuna and Trema orientalis are intermediate tolerant species. Ficus hispida was also showed the highest dust capturing capacity (5.94 ± 0.43 mg/cm2) and whereas Woodfordia fruticosa (1.03 ± 0.11 mg/cm2) was found to be lowest. Metal accumulation index ranged from 17.29 to 4.5 and 6.38 to 1.94 at mine and control area respectively. Two-way ANOVA analysis revealed area wise significant differences between biochemical and physiological parameters. Also, result showed that the pollution level and heavy metal affected different biochemical and physiological parameter of plant species at mining area. The plant species with highest API, DCC and MAI value could be recommended for greenbelt development in different polluted area.

Assessment of Tolerance of Some Tree Species to Air Contamination Using Air Pollution Tolerance and Anticipated Performance Indices in Isfahan City, Iran

Background: In the present study, the tolerance of plantain tree species (Platanus orientalis, Morus nigra and Ailanthus altissima) to air pollution was evaluated using Air Pollution Tolerance Index (ATPI) and Anticipated Performance Index (API) index in Isfahan city (Iran). Methods: For this purpose, three dominant trees growing at six stations in Isfahan was selected and then sampling of the tree leaves was performed, after being transferred to the laboratory, the ATPI and API index were calculated. Results: The results of calculating the ATPI in the leaves of M. nigra, P. orientalis and A. altissima species showed that the highest values of ATPI index was obtained in M. nigra at 20.77 and then detected in P. orientalis and A. altissima with the values 14.90 and 14.33 respectively. According to API values Morus nigra had the best performance (Score = 6 so it classified as the Excellent) while P. orientalis and A. altissima had very good and intermediate performance, respectively. Conclusion: According to ATPI and API index most tolerant tree species was Morus nigra, so it would be the most suitable species for plantation programme in urban and pollutant areas followed by Platanus orientalis and Ailanthus altissima. As well as our results suggest that Platanus orientalis and Ailanthus altissima can be used as bio-indicators of air pollution due to their low ATPI scores (lower than 16). The present study suggests that the combination of both the ATPI and API indices for identifying and selection of plant species is very useful for plantation in urban areas.

Evaluation of Anticipated Performance Index of Plant Species for Green Belt Development to Mitigate Air Pollution

Anticipated Performance Index (API) is an innovative ecological approach in selecting plant species for reducing air pollution, using Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and socio-economic parameters. The present study evaluated API of 11 plant species (6 trees and 5 shrubs) for the recommendation of green belt establishment near the national highway expansion region of the Kiratpur-Nerchowk expressway. The scrutiny of the results revealed that the tolerance capacity of plant species along with their performance grade is a justified approach for selecting the most suitable plant species, which can act as sink for air pollution. API on the other hand, can also help to distinguish the sensitive plant species, which can act as bio-monitors. The results showed that among all plant species Leucaena leucocephala and Toona ciliata (API=5) qualify as ‘very good’ performers in green belt development, while Dalbergia sisso (API=4) is a ‘good’ performer. Grewia optiva and Ficus palmata were judged as ‘moderate’ performers (API=3). Whereas, all other remaining investigated trees and shrubs having lesser API values can act as bio-indicators and particularly are very less recommended for green belt establishment. Hence, on the basis of amalgamation of APTI values together with other socio-economic and biological parameters, API significantly is considered as one of the best approaches identified and recommended for long-term refinement of air quality.

Evaluation of the Importance of Some East Asian Tree Species for Refinement of Air Quality by Estimating Air Pollution Tolerance Index, Anticipated Performance Index, and Air Pollutant Uptake

Potentials of tree species as biofilters depend on appropriate selection based on their tolerance to air pollution, which is usually evaluated by the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API). Thus, these index values need as a means of scientific understanding to assess the role of urban trees for better greenspace planning/management to mitigate impacts of gaseous air pollution such as ozone (O3) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). O3 exposure to Chionanthus retusus, Pinus densiflora, and Ginkgo biloba showed higher stomatal O3 flux than the others, finally resulting in both favoring stomatal movement and maintaining carbon fixation. In contrast, despite the whole tree enhanced SO2 uptake under excess SO2 exposure, the carbon assimilation capacity was only found in Taxus cuspidata and Zelkova serrata as a consequence of no stomatal sluggishness. On the basis of API, P. densiflora and Prunus × yedoensis were good performers for developing greenspace, while Z. serrata and G. biloba were moderate performers; however, C. retusus and T. cuspidata were estimated to be poor and very poor performers, respectively, for reducing the air quality injury caused by air pollutants. The present study suggests that an integration of both APTI and API based on stomatal absorption flux is needed for selecting sound tree-species in greenspace planning/construction to control gaseous air pollutions.