Heavy metal absorption in the leaves of evergreen trees (Saraca asoca and Syzygium cumini) in Kanchipuram town, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Plant species can be utilized for biomonitoring the quality of the environment and reform the extent of pollution in both urbanized and industrial regions. In this current study, the quantity of nine heavy metal components viz. Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Pb absorbed on the leaves of Saraca asoca and Syzygium cumini were examined by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) during “February-March, 2019”. The samples were gathered from six different sites namely, Vellagate (Site1), CSI hospital (Site2), Near Cancer Institute (Site3), Moongilmandapam (Site4), Collectrate (Site5), Pallavarmedu (Control Site 6), of the Kanchipuram town, Tamil Nadu State. Metals Fe, Al, Zn and Mn were identified on the leaves of S.asoca and S.Cumini in all sites with varying concentrations out of which Fe (234.49mg/kg) and Al (364.18mg/kg) were higher level. Pb was identified only on the leaves of S.asoca in the sites 2 (2.21mg/kg) and site 4 (2.81mg/kg) which are subjected to heavy traffic and Cu was found only in site 3 and site 4 with minimum levels. The metals such as As, Cd, Cr was not identified on both species in all selected sites. Absorption of heavy metals on the leaves was probably due to emissions from vehicle, nonemission sources and mainly from other man-made activities. This work showed that both the selected species S.asoca and S.Cumini were suitable bio indicators, bio-monitors and used as greenbelt around the industrial areas for the mitigation of pollutants in the environment.