Evaluation of air pollution phytotoxicity downwind of a phosphate fertilizer factory in India

Abstract

The effects of air pollution on plants downwind of a fertilizer factory at Udaipur, India, were studied using three woody perennials. Seedlings of these species including a shrub (Carissa carandas L.), a leguminous avenue tree (Cassia fistula L.) and a fruit tree (Psidium guajava L.) were grown in earthen pots at different study sites receiving varying levels of air pollution input. Changes in plant growth, morphological characteristics, photosynthetic pigment, ascorbic acid, N and S contents and in dry matter allocation were considered in relation to the status of ambient air quality. Observations with these parameters have indicated that the ambient air around the factory contained pollutants at phytotoxic levels. Plant height, basal diameter, conopy area, leaf area and chlorophyll, ascorbic acid and foliar-N concentrations decreased with increasing pollution load. However, foliar-S increased slightly at polluted sites. Air pollution load around the factory have also altered the biomass allocation. Root:shoot ratios increased in C. fistula and P. guajava at polluted sites. In contrast, for C. carandas the above ground parts, where foliage assumed predominance showed precedence over the root growth. This species responded characteristically to air pollution stress by allocating more of its photosynthate towards leaf production and shoot growth.

Accumulation of heavy metals in dietary vegetables and cultivated soil horizon in organic farming system in relation to atmospheric deposition in a seasonally dry tropical region of India

“…Such patterns have also been observed at other urban sites (Azimi et al 2003(Azimi et al , 2004. Since the air mass flow of the region is mainly from west and southwest to the east and northeast (Pandey 2005), the urban-industrial emissions could sizably contribute to atmospheric bulk deposition of the area. Substantially high deposition of Zn could be due to Zinc smelter and mining in the area, in addition to other general sources.…”

“…For developing countries in particular, due to newly establishing industries and extensive urban growth, concentrations of atmospheric pollutants are steadily rising (Fowler et al 1999;Pandey et al 1992;Pandey and Agrawal 1994;Pandey 2005). Atmospheric deposition has been recognized as an important source of heavy metals for soils including agro-ecosystems (Weiss et al 1999;Azmi et al 2004).…”

Biochemical responses in tree foliage exposed to coal-fired power plant emission in seasonally dry tropical environment

“…The main air pollutants generated by coal-based power plants are fly-ash, sulphur dioxide, carbon and nitrogen compounds, non combustible hydrocarbons, and heavy metals (Cicek and Koparal 2004;Iqbal et al 2000b;Pandey 2005). Sulphur dioxide and fly-ash constitute major proportions of the gaseous and particulate emissions from thermal power plants.…”

Impacts of hazardous air pollutants emitted from phosphate fertilizer production plants on their ambient concentration levels in the Tampa Bay area

“…However, there have been limited studies investigating the environmental and health impact of metal HAPs emissions from phosphate fertilizer facilities. Pandey (2005) reported that plant species responded characteristically to air pollution from a phosphate fertilizer plant by allocating more of its photosynthate towards leaf production and shoot growth. Pancras et al (2006) showed that the atmospheric metal concentrations (Al, Fe, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, Se, As, Ni, Zn, and Cd) were 5 to 100 times greater than their background levels when discrete plumes of local sources influenced air at the sampling sites in the Tampa Bay area, whereas the contribution from phosphate fertilizer plants was not investigated.…”