Evaluation of Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Air Pollution in Selected Plant Species around Industrial Premises of Malappuram District, Kerala

Air pollution impact on various physiological and biochemical parameters of fifteen plant species around industrial premises of Malappuram district, Kerala were investigated. The present study has been carried out with the aim of analyzing the air pollution tolerance mechanisms in the selected fifteen plant species collected from the nearby areas of these two textile and PVC industries and to screen the most tolerant plant species based on the air pollution tolerance index of selected plants and can provide a cost effective and eco-friendly technique to mitigate air pollution. The air pollution caused a lower value of leaf extract pH, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in selected plant species. The increased level of ROS in plants due to exposure to air pollution damages the biomolecules such as lipids and results in MDA formation. Moreover, antioxidants like proline, ascorbate, soluble sugar and phenolics work hand in hand to scavenge toxic ROS produced under air pollution in all plants and thus prevent the oxidation of vital components in the plant cells. However, the accumulation of antioxidants in selected plant species was varied in response to air pollution. The air pollution tolerance index (APTI) has been used for identifying tolerance levels of plant species and to rank plant species in their order of tolerance to air pollution. APTI of T. grandis, H. brasiliensis, A. occidentale and P. pinnata and the present study indicated that these four plant species are most suitable sink for air pollution, which can be utilized for green belt development in industrial area for reduction of the level of the air pollution. Moreover, lowest APTI was recorded in G. floribunda, P. emblica and M. oleifera, can be used for the biomonitoring of air pollution.