This study reports the seasonal variations in dry deposition of coarse and fine particles on the foliar surfaces of common indoor plants viz. Ficus elastica, Ficus lyrata, and Schefflera arboricola along with their biochemical changes in the urban households of metropolitan Delhi. The dustfall fluxes were significantly higher at the industrial site as compared to residential site and temporal variations indicated higher dustfall fluxes during the winter months as compared to other seasons. Seasonal concentrations of chlorophylls, pH, and soluble sugars were higher during monsoon season for the indoor plants whereas ascorbic acid content was higher in the winter season indicating more stress. The results of correlation plots revealed that the variations observed in the biochemical traits were interlinked with the changes in dustfall fluxes during different seasons, thereby reflecting the changes in air pollution stress faced by plant foliage. The air pollution tolerance index and anticipated performance index were evaluated to understand the overall tolerance of indoor plants toward air pollution which can be utilized in phytoremediation techniques. It was concluded that among the studied indoor plants, Ficus elastica and Ficus lyrata are better plant species than Schefflera arboricola for improving indoor air quality.
Keywords: APTI; ascorbic acid; chlorophyll; dust deposition; urban households.
The novelty of this work lies in studying the spatial and temporal variations in the deposition of indoor dust on foliar surfaces of plants in the households of a highly polluted metropolitan. Based on the biochemical parameters, the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API) have been calculated for the first time for Ficus elastica, Ficus lyrata, and Schefflera arboricola. The study strengthens the existing knowledge regarding the role of leaves as a platform to capture dust particles and role of indoor plants in improving air quality. The outcomes of this study can be applied in modern day concepts for urban areas such as nature-based solutions for air pollution mitigation, vertical greenery systems (VGS), green roofs, and outdoor green walls.