Dust deposition on vegetation leaves in Shanghai, China

Int J Environ Health Res. 2021 Dec;31(8):1001-1014. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2020.1714559. Epub 2020 Jan 16.

Abstract

Urban vegetation can deposit dust to reduce pollution, and dust retention capacity of vegetation has become an important indicator for urban ecological construction. We selected five representative vegetation in Shanghai to explore the regularity of dust deposition on vegetation leaves. Due to the influence of leaf area and surface characteristics, the amount of dust deposition was significantly different to each vegetation; Vegetation shows different dust retention capacity under different pollution intensity, before this capacity reaches its limit, and it will increase with the increase of dust content in the environment; Furthermore, water content of leaves was an important factor affecting dust retention capacity by vegetation. There was a linear positive correlation between the two variables. Our work suggests that the dust retention capacity of vegetation leaves was affected by various factors, but it showed certain regularity, which can provide a scientific basis for the configuration of urban green plant species.

Keywords: Dust retention capacity; pollution intensity; urban vegetation; water content.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • China
  • Cities
  • Dust / analysis*
  • Environmental Pollution / analysis
  • Plant Leaves* / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves* / classification
  • Species Specificity
  • Water / analysis

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Dust
  • Water