Affiliations: UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, III/LB-8,
Salt Lake, Kolkata, India | Department of Material Science and Metallurgy,
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK | Department of Environmental Science, University of
Calcutta, Kolkata, India | Department of Environmental Science, University of
Kalyani, Nadia, India | Allergy & Asthma Research Centre, Kolkata,
India | Department of Chemical Technology, University of
Calcutta, Kolkata – 700073, India | West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Kolkata ¨C
700098, India
Abstract: In the present paper the effect of traffic generated dust pollution
on phylloplane microflora of Polyalthia longifolia was studied. More dust and
absence of micro-flora especially fungi was observed in the leaves from
roadside site unlike that of non-roadside site. Elemental profiling of dust on
leaves has shown the presence of trace elements like Al, Si, Cl, Ti, Cr, Mn,
Fe, Ni, Cu and Zn and toxic elements like As and Hg. Presence of such elements
in dust may be attributed to retardation of micro-flora on leaf surfaces
exposed to traffic generated dust particulates.
Keywords: Air pollution, dust, phylloplane microflora, SEM-EDX
