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Combined effects of particulates dispersion and elemental analysis in desert plants: a modeling tool to air pollution

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Abstract

Multidimensional assessment of air pollution was carried out on trace metals in particulates, desert plant parts and soil collected from the six sites to validate air pollution tolerance index, translocation and bioaccumulation factors. A map indicating the sampled sites was superimposed on the Disper 5.2 software graphical interface to track the particulate dispersion route during the summer and winter seasons. This study showed site-wise orientation of particulates dispersed in the ambient air. Observations indicated the high concentrations of dispersed coarse > fine > ultra-fine particulates in trace metals analyzed from selected desert plants and in the soil especially during winter than in the summer seasons. High air pollution tolerance index was observed in the sequence of Calatropis gigantean > Portulaca oleracea > Citrullus collocynthis > Rumex vesicarius > Bienertia sinuspersici > Tribulus terrestris. Assessment of translocation and bioaccumulation factors labeled these desert plants as hyper-accumulators. The synergistic effect of the translocation and bioaccumulation factor in the various plants and the pollution levels for a given geographical location provides insight management to mitigate air pollution and landscape designers to grow tolerant species and protect sensitive plants from air pollution.

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Acknowledgments

Appreciation expressed to the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) for their invaluable financial support to the projects Grants No. KFAS-2012-1401-04 and KFAS-2013-1401-02. Acknowledgment extended to the Research Administration, Kuwait University, for their technical support. We thank Dr. K.T. Mathews, Curator, Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, for identifying the desert plants.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Kuwait University, Khaldiya Campus, POB 5969, 13060, Safat, Kuwait

    A. H. Bu-Olayan & B. V. Thomas

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  1. A. H. Bu-Olayan
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  2. B. V. Thomas
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Correspondence to B. V. Thomas.

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The authors have no conflict of interest in the technicalities of this investigation.

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Bu-Olayan, A.H., Thomas, B.V. Combined effects of particulates dispersion and elemental analysis in desert plants: a modeling tool to air pollution. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 13, 1299–1310 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-0968-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-0968-5

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