title: Air pollution tolerance index of plants around brick kilns in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
abstract: In any contaminated environment, the sensitive plant species can serve as bio-indicator of air pollution while tolerant plant species can act as a sink for air pollutants. Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) is an important tool to screen out plants based on their tolerance or sensitivity level to different air pollutants. The present study was aimed to identify the sensitive and tolerant plant species in the vicinity of brick kilns in the Rawalpindi city. To determine the susceptibility level of the selected plant species, four biochemical parameters, ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll content, relative water content and pH of leaf extract, were assessed and APTI was calculated. Plant sampling was carried out with increasing distance of 100, 300 and 500 m around three brick kiln sites and APTI values were calculated by following the standard methods. The results of the study revealed that among nine studied plant species, Calotropis procera (APTI = 20.05) and Althernanthera pungens (APTI = 17.13) were found to be the most tolerant species, whereas Malva neglecta (APTI = 8.83) was found to be the most sensitive species. Inconsistent trend of variations was seen in the APTI values at each site. The present study suggested that the most tolerant species, C. procera and A. pungens, could be grown in the vicinity of such pollution sources as a remedial measure of brick kiln pollution.
authors.affiliation: Sardar Bahadur Khan Womens' University Quetta, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Khanoranga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Achakzai
authors.affiliation: Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khalid
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adrees
authors.affiliation: Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aasma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bibi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shafaqat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, The University of Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rab
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nawaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: mrazi1532@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizwan
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010154:Pakistan; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste
keywords: Air pollution tolerance index; Ascorbic acid; Bio-indicator; Brick kilns; Chlorophyll contents