Assessment of Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and Anticipated Performance Index (API) of Roadside Plants for the Development of Greenbelt in Urban Area of Bathinda City, Punjab, India

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 105; no. 6; pp. 906 - 914
• Main Authors: Yadav, Radheshyam, Pandey, Puneeta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - standards; Air pollution; Air Pollution - analysis; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Aquatic Pollution; Ascorbic acid; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll - analysis; Cities; Correlation analysis; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Ficus benghalensis; Flowers & plants; Green belts; India; Melia azedarach; Performance indices; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant species; Plants; Pollution; Pollution control; Pollution index; Pollution tolerance; Roadsides; Seasonal variations; Seasons; Soil Science & Conservation; Summer; Urban areas; Waste Water Technology; Water - analysis; Water Management; Water pollution; Water Pollution Control; Winter; Cities; India; Punjab India; Air pollution; APTI; API; Greenbelt
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-020-03027-0

The aim of the present study is to biomonitor the tolerance level of roadside plant species towards mitigation of air pollution for the development of greenbelt. The leaves of four plant species ( Azadirachta indica, Ficus benghalensis, Melia azedarach and Polyalthia longifolia) were collected from 41 sampling sites of Bathinda city during summer and winter seasons. Seasonal variation in APTI and API was determined in selected plants. Highest APTI (13.54) was reported in F. benghalensis during summer and lowest APTI (11.69) in A. indica during winter season. The APTI and API value revealed that F. benghalensis was the best performer, A. indica and M. azedarach were excellent performers and P. longifolia a good performer in greenbelt development to mitigate the air pollution. Pearson’s correlation analysis illustrated significant correlation between APTI, ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, relative water and pH, respectively.