Effects of Re-suspended Roadside Dusts and Its Elemental Constituents on the Phylloplane Microflora

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.