The Role of Spontaneous Flora in the Mitigation of Particulate Matter from Traffic Roads in an Urbanised Area

Robert Popek (), Beata Fornal-Pieniak, Piotr Dąbrowski and Filip Chyliński
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Robert Popek: Section of Basic Research in Horticulture, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska Street 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Beata Fornal-Pieniak: Department of Environmental Protection and Dendrology, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska Street 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Piotr Dąbrowski: Section of Basic Research in Horticulture, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska Street 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Filip Chyliński: Instytut Techniki Budowlanej, Filtrowa Street 1, 00-611 Warsaw, Poland

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Particulate matter (PM) is a serious air pollutant that poses significant health risks. One solution to reduce PM concentrations in these areas is through phytoremediation, a process that involves using plants to remove contaminants from the environment. In this study, we investigated the capacity of spontaneous flora—herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees growing in five zones from the road—to absorb PM on their foliage. The study found significant differences in the accumulation of PM, with the highest PM accumulation recorded in Zone V, which boasted a blend of the three mentioned vegetation types together. In contrast, Zones I and II, which were located close to the road and comprised solely herbaceous plants, exhibited 14.3% and 43.4% less PM accumulation, respectively. Similarly, Zone IV, with a mix of herbaceous plants and shrubs, showed 64.5% less PM accumulation, while Zone III, with only herbaceous plants, had a staggering PM accumulation reduction of 76.8%. The sum of Si+Al+Ca displayed a similar pattern. Furthermore, the findings highlighted the valuable role of plants in decreasing PM concentrations in the air, resulting in reductions of 76%, 39%, and 47% for PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and PM 1.0 , respectively. The results indicate that various spontaneous flora can work in unison to reduce PM, providing a multifaceted approach to combating air pollution.

Keywords: air pollution; herbaceous plants; road; urban area; phytoremediation; shrubs; trees (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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