Air pollution caused by particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) is a serious environmental problem. Plants can improve air quality by removing PM2.5 from the atmosphere. However, direct evidence of PM2.5 absorption and assimilation into plants has not yet been found. In this study, we demonstrate that 15NH4+ in PM2.5 was absorbed by poplar leaves in low and high PM2.5 treatment groups (namely, LPT and HPT). Then, 15N was subsequently transferred to other parts of the treated seedlings as shown by 15N tracing and simulated PM2.5 generation. 15N and total N contents were the highest in high pollution treatment (HPT), followed by that in low pollution treatment (LPT) and the control. Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) contributed more to NH4+ assimilation than glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase in the leaves of treated seedlings. GDH aminating activity was induced upon NH4+ exposure whereas GDH deaminating activity was repressed in both LPT and HPT, suggesting that poplar seedlings can alleviate NH4+ toxicity by enhancing NH4+ assimilation. At the end of PM2.5 treatment period, the decreased amino acid content in the treated seedlings was attributed to the probably altered balance of amino acid metabolism. The decline in the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was accompanied by the decrease in the stomatal conductance in poplar leaves with the extension of PM2.5 treatment time, indicating that stomatal limitation is a major reason for Pn reduction. This study may provide novel insights into the relationship between PM2.5 pollution and plants.
Keywords: 15N; Enzymes; NH4 + assimilation; PM2.5 exposure; Physiological responses; Poplar seedlings.