Investigation of particular matters on the leaves of Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe in Denizli (Turkey)

Abstract

In urban environments, the main sources of emission of particular matters can be listed as follows: Emissions due to heavy traffic and industrial activities; emissions from power stations, local heating sources and road dust. Particular matters in variety of forms such as dust particles, globules, aggregates etc., accumulate on leaf surfaces of road side plants including higher plants. In this respect, investigation of leaf surfaces may indicate environmental pollution and other effects due to industrial and urban activities and thus, receive great deal of attention for environmental evaluations. Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe are among the most cultivated plants along the roadsides of the municipal area of Denizli city, TURKEY. In this study, the accumulation and the elemental analysis of particular matters on leaf surfaces of Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe were investigated using FESEM-EDS techniques during the years 2009 and 2010. Leaf samples were collected from roadsides of four different local areas of heavy traffic and densely urbanized, and from an area far away from heavy traffic. The chemical composition of particular matters on leaves showed distinct differences in between the two data. This finding indicates high level of increased urbanisation, growing industry and heavy traffic in some locations of Denizli city. As a result, leaves of higher plants may be used as bioindicators for the assessment of particular matters in urban areas.