Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Assessing the uptake and accumulation of heavy metals and particulate matter from ambient air by some tree species in Isfahan Metropolis, Iran

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The main scope of this study is to evaluate the uptake and accumulation potential of heavy metals in unwashed and washed leaves and particulate matter (PM) in leaf surfaces plus waxes of different tree species in Isfahan city. The highest mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni in unwashed and washed leaves were detected in M. nigra, Zn and Cu in P. fraxinifolia, and Pb was related to P. orientalis. The highest and lowest mean total depositions of total particulate matter (sum of PM10, PM2.5, and PM0.2) were found in the leaf of M. nigra (190.23 ± 23.5) and S. alba (11.9 ± 4.42 μg/cm2), respectively. The maximum bio-concentration factor (BCF) of Cd, Pb, and Ni was observed in Morus nigra; Cu and Zn in Pterocarya fraxinifolia, with the BCF of Cr found in Acer negundo. Comprehensive bio-concentration index (CBCI) and metal accumulation index (MAI) were applied for comparing different tree species in HMs accumulation from soil and ambient air. The highest CBCI was measured for M. nigra (0.86), so this tree has the potential to remediate metals from the polluted soil. Higher MAI values in washed and unwashed leaves were found in S. alba (6.77 and 6.98) and M. nigra (5.93 and 5.62), demonstrating the high capability of these trees for controlling air born-metal pollution. Based on the AOM factor, M. nigra, P. fraxinifolia, U. umbraculifera, P. fraxinifolia, A. altissima, and M. alba trees had the highest ability to capture Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cr from air. So, planting these trees would be beneficial in sensitive and critical zones such as industrial and urban areas with such atmospheric pollutants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

In this manuscript, all data and material methods are available.

References

  • Abbasi S, Ali Mohammadian H, Hosseini SM, Khorasani N, Karbasi A-R, Aslani A (2017) The concentration of heavy metals in precipitated particles on the leaves of street side trees in the urban environments (Tehran–Iran). Anthropogenic Pollut J 1:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Abril GA, Wannaz ED, Mateos AC, Invernizzi R, Plá RR, Pignata ML (2014) Characterization of atmospheric emission sources of heavy metals and trace elements through a local-scale monitoring network using T. capillaris. Ecol Indic 40:153–161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Affholder M-C, Prudent P, Masotti V, Coulomb B, Rabier J, Nguyen-The B, Laffont-Schwob I (2013) Transfer of metals and metalloids from soil to shoots in wild rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) growing on a former lead smelter site: human exposure risk. Sci Total Environ 454:219–229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alahabadi A, Ehrampoush MH, Miri M, Ebrahimi Aval H, Yousefzadeh S, Ghaffari HR, Ahmadi E, Talebi P, Abaszadeh Fathabadi Z, Babai F, Nikoonahad A, Sharafi K, Hosseini-Bandegharaei A (2017) A comparative study on capability of different tree species in accumulating heavy metals from soil and ambient air. Chemosphere 172:459–467

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alatou H, Sahli L (2019) Using tree leaves and barks collected from contaminated and uncontaminated areas as indicators of air metallic pollution. Int J Phytoremediation 21:985–997

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alfani A, Baldantoni D, Maisto G, Bartoli G, De Santo AV (2000) Temporal and spatial variation in C, N, S and trace element contents in the leaves of Quercus ilex within the urban area of Naples. Environ Pollut 109:119–129

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aslam M, Verma DK, Dhakerya R, Rais S, Alam M, Ansari FA (2012) Bioindicator: a comparative study on uptake and accumulation of heavy metals in some plant. Res J Environ Earth Sci 4:1060–1070

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bajpai R, Singh C, Rana T, Upreti D (2019) Lichenology and geomatics for monitoring air pollution and climate change impacts. J Geom 13

  • Chen Z, Huang Y, Cheng X, Ni S, Wang J, Ren B, Yu Q (2020) Assessment of toxic elements in road dust from Hutou Village, China: implications for the highest incidence of lung cancer. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:1850–1865 1-16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cowan N, Blair D, Malcolm H, Graham M (2020) A survey of heavy metal contents of rural and urban roadside dusts: comparisons at low, medium and high traffic sites in Central Scotland. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:7365–7378 1-14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dogan Y, Ugulu I, Baslar S (2010) Turkish red pine as a biomonitor: a comparative study of the accumulation of trace elements in the needles and bark. Ekoloji 19:88–96

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dzierżanowski K, Popek R, Gawrońska H, Sæbø A, Gawroński SW (2011) Deposition of particulate matter of different size fractions on leaf surfaces and in waxes of urban forest species. Int J Phytoremediation 13:1037–1046

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Khatib AA, Barakat NA, Youssef NA, Samir NA (2020) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals air pollutants by urban trees. Int J Phytoremediation 22:210–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farhan AM, Salem NM, Ahmad AL, Awwad AM (2012) Kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies of the biosorption of heavy metals by Ceratonia siliqua bark. Am J Chem 2:335–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fourati R, Scopa A, Ben Ahmed C, Ben Abdallah F, Terzano R, Gattullo CE, Allegretta I, Galgano F, Caruso MC, Sofo A (2017) Leaf biochemical responses and fruit oil quality parameters in olive plants subjected to airborne metal pollution. Chemosphere 168:514–522

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gajbhiye T, Pandey SK, Lee SS, Kim K-H (2019) Size fractionated phytomonitoring of airborne particulate matter (PM) and speciation of PM bound toxic metals pollution through Calotropis procera in an urban environment. Ecol Indic 104:32–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hajizadeh Y, Mokhtari M, Faraji M, Abdolahnejad A, Mohammadi A (2019) Biomonitoring of airborne metals using tree leaves: protocol for biomonitor selection and spatial trend. MethodsX 6:1694–1700

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassanen R, Morsy A, Saleh H (2016) Leaf dust accumulation and air pollution tolerance indices of three plant species exposed to urban particulate matter pollution from a fertilizer factory. Vegetos 29:3. https://doi.org/10.5958/2229-44732016.82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu Y, Wang D, Wei L, Zhang X, Song B (2014) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in plant leaves from Yan’an city of the Loess Plateau, China. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 110:82–88

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A (2000) Trace elements in soils and plants. CRC press,

  • Kabata-Pendias A (2010) Trace elements in soils and plants, 4rth edn. Taylor and Francis Group:CRC Press, Boca Raton

  • Khamesi A, Khademi H, Zeraatpisheh M (2020) Biomagnetic monitoring of atmospheric heavy metal pollution using pine needles: the case study of Isfahan, Iran. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27:31555–31566 1-12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levei L, Kovacs E, Hoaghia M-A, Ozunu A (2018) Accumulation of heavy metals in Plantago major grown in urban and post-industrial areas. Studia Ubb Chemia 63:87–98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang J, Fang H, Zhang T, Wang X, Liu Y (2017) Heavy metal in leaves of twelve plant species from seven different areas in Shanghai, China. Urban For Urban Green 27:390–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y-J, Zhu Y-G, Ding H (2007) Lead and cadmium in leaves of deciduous trees in Beijing, China: development of a metal accumulation index (MAI). Environ Pollut 145:387–390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Yang Z, Zhu M, Yin J (2017) Role of plant leaves in removing airborne dust and associated metals on Beijing roadsides. Aerosol Air Qual Res 17:2566–2584

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahapatra B, Dhal NK, Dash AK, Panda BP, Panigrahi KCS, Pradhan A (2019) Perspective of mitigating atmospheric heavy metal pollution: using mosses as biomonitoring and indicator organism. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:29620–29638 1-19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matin G, Kargar N, Buyukisik HB (2016) Bio-monitoring of cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury in industrial districts of Izmir, Turkey by using honey bees, propolis and pine tree leaves. Ecol Eng 90:331–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Men C, Liu R, Xu F, Wang Q, Guo L, Shen Z (2018) Pollution characteristics, risk assessment, and source apportionment of heavy metals in road dust in Beijing, China. Sci Total Environ 612:138–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Monfared SH, Matinizadeh M, Shirvany A, Amiri GZ, Fard RM, Rostami F (2013) Accumulation of heavy metal in Platanus orientalis, Robinia pseudoacacia and Fraxinus rotundifolia. J For Res 24:391–395

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mukherjee A, Agrawal SB, Agrawal M (2016) Heavy metal accumulation potential and tolerance in tree and grass species. In: Plant responses to xenobiotics. Springer, pp 177-210

  • Norouzi S, Khademi H, Cano AF, Acosta JA (2015) Using plane tree leaves for biomonitoring of dust borne heavy metals: a case study from Isfahan, Central Iran. Ecol Indic 57:64–73

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Padmavathiamma PK, Li LY (2007) Phytoremediation technology: hyper-accumulation metals in plants. Water Air Soil Pollut 184:105–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pająk M, Halecki W, Gąsiorek M (2017) Accumulative response of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) to heavy metals enhanced by Pb-Zn ore mining and processing plants: explicitly spatial considerations of ordinary kriging based on a GIS approach. Chemosphere 168:851–859

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parihar JK, Parihar PK, Pakade YB, Katnoria JK (2020) Bioaccumulation potential of indigenous plants for heavy metal phytoremediation in rural areas of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Punjab (India). Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:2426–2442 1-17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rao M, Dubey P (1992) Occurrence of heavy metals in air and their accumulation by tropical plants growing around an industrial area. Sci Total Environ 126:1–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Räsänen JV, Holopainen T, Joutsensaari J, Ndam C, Pasanen P, Rinnan Å, Kivimäenpää M (2013) Effects of species-specific leaf characteristics and reduced water availability on fine particle capture efficiency of trees. Environ Pollut 183:64–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roy A, Bhattacharya T, Kumari M (2020) Air pollution tolerance, metal accumulation and dust capturing capacity of common tropical trees in commercial and industrial sites. Sci Total Environ 722:137622

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sæbø A, Popek R, Nawrot B, Hanslin HM, Gawronska H, Gawronski S (2012) Plant species differences in particulate matter accumulation on leaf surfaces. Sci Total Environ 427:347–354

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Safari M, Ramavandi B, Sanati AM, Sorial GA, Hashemi S, Tahmasebi S (2018) Potential of trees leaf/bark to control atmospheric metals in a gas and petrochemical zone. J Environ Manag 222:12–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salih Z, Aziz F (2019) Heavy metals accumulation in leaves of five plant species as a bioindicator of steel factory pollution and their effects on pigment content. Pol J Environ Stud 28:4351–4358

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos RS, Sanches FA, Leitão RG, Leitão CC, Oliveira DF, Anjos MJ, Assis JT (2019) Multielemental analysis in Nerium oleander L. leaves as a way of assessing the levels of urban air pollution by heavy metals. Appl Radiat Isot 152:18–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawidis T, Breuste J, Mitrovic M, Pavlovic P, Tsigaridas K (2011) Trees as bioindicator of heavy metal pollution in three European cities. Environ Pollut 159:3560–3570

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serbula SM, Miljkovic DD, Kovacevic RM, Ilic AA (2012) Assessment of airborne heavy metal pollution using plant parts and topsoil. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 76:209–214

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sert EB, Turkmen M, Cetin M (2019) Heavy metal accumulation in rosemary leaves and stems exposed to traffic-related pollution near Adana-İskenderun Highway (Hatay, Turkey). Environ Monit Assess 191:553

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sevik H, Ozel HB, Cetin M, Özel HU, Erdem T (2019) Determination of changes in heavy metal accumulation depending on plant species, plant organism, and traffic density in some landscape plants. Air Qual Atmos Health 12:189–195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sgrigna G, Baldacchini C, Dreveck S, Cheng Z, Calfapietra C (2020) Relationships between air particulate matter capture efficiency and leaf traits in twelve tree species from an Italian urban-industrial environment. Sci Total Environ 718:137310

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi X, Zhang X, Chen G, Chen Y, Wang L, Shan X (2011) Seedling growth and metal accumulation of selected woody species in copper and lead/zinc mine tailings. J Environ Sci 23:266–274

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simon E, Baranyai E, Braun M, Cserháti C, Fábián I, Tóthmérész B (2014) Elemental concentrations in deposited dust on leaves along an urbanization gradient. Sci Total Environ 490:514–520

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Solgi E, Keramaty M, Solgi M (2020) Biomonitoring of airborne Cu, Pb, and Zn in an urban area employing a broad leaved and a conifer tree species. J Geochem Explor 208:106400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomašević M, Vukmirović Z, Rajšić S, Tasić M, Stevanović B (2005) Characterization of trace metal particles deposited on some deciduous tree leaves in an urban area. Chemosphere 61:753–760

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tošić S, Alagić S, Dimitrijević M, Pavlović A, Nujkić M (2016) Plant parts of the apple tree (Malus spp.) as possible indicators of heavy metal pollution. Ambio 45:501–512

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turdean GL (2011) Design and development of biosensors for the detection of heavy metal toxicity. Int J Electrochem 2011:343125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turkyilmaz A, Sevik H, Cetin M, Ahmaida Saleh EA (2018) Changes in heavy metal accumulation depending on traffic density in some landscape plants. Pol J Environ Stud 27:2277–2284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turkyilmaz A, Sevik H, Isinkaralar K, Cetin M (2019) Use of tree rings as a bioindicator to observe atmospheric heavy metal deposition. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:5122–5130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turkyilmaz A, Cetin M, Sevik H, Isinkaralar K, Saleh EAA (2020) Variation of heavy metal accumulation in certain landscaping plants due to traffic density. Environ Dev Sustain 22:2385–2398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yap C, Ismail A, Tan S, Omar H (2002) Correlations between speciation of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in sediment and their concentrations in total soft tissue of green-lipped mussel Perna viridis from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Environ Int 28:117–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhai Y, Dai Q, Jiang K, Zhu Y, Xu B, Peng C, Wang T, Zeng G (2016) Traffic-related heavy metals uptake by wild plants grow along two main highways in Hunan Province, China: effects of soil factors, accumulation ability, and biological indication potential. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23:13368–13377

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J, Hua P, Krebs P (2017a) Influences of land use and antecedent dry-weather period on pollution level and ecological risk of heavy metals in road-deposited sediment. Environ Pollut 228:158–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Liu J, Wu Y, Yan G, Zhu L, Yu X (2017b) Multi-scale comparison of the fine particle removal capacity of urban forests and wetlands. Sci Rep 7:46214

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W et al (2020) Comparison of the suitability of plant species for greenbelt construction based on particulate matter capture capacity, air pollution tolerance index, and antioxidant system. Environ Pollut 263:114615

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao X, Liu J, Xia X, Chu J, Wei Y, Shi S, Chang E, Yin W, Jiang Z (2014) The evaluation of heavy metal accumulation and application of a comprehensive bio-concentration index for woody species on contaminated sites in Hunan, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21:5076–5085

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environments, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran

    Masoud Hatami-manesh, Samar Mortazavi & Eisa Solgi

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Yasouj University, Yasuj, Iran

    Ahmad Mohtadi

Authors
  1. Masoud Hatami-manesh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Samar Mortazavi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eisa Solgi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ahmad Mohtadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Masoud Hatamimanesh: conceptualization, visualization, writing, and editing. Samar Mortazavi: formal analysis, investigation, editing, and revising. Eisa Solgi contributed in statistical analysis and conclusion. Ahmad Mohtadi: supervision and review.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samar Mortazavi.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

This manuscript complies with ethical standards.

Consent for publication

The authors consent to publish the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Philipp Gariguess

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hatami-manesh, M., Mortazavi, S., Solgi, E. et al. Assessing the uptake and accumulation of heavy metals and particulate matter from ambient air by some tree species in Isfahan Metropolis, Iran. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 41451–41463 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13524-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13524-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation