Urban vegetation plays a role in the interception and degradation of air
pollutants in cities (1). Trees, shrubs and plants can improve the quality of
the air we breathe. Dense screens of trees and shrubs can be used efficiently
to provide quieter areas in city parks where people can relax away from the
constant background noise of city life. In addition, the foliage of vegetation
can trap certain air pollutants, especially air-borne particulates (PM10),
removing them from the urban atmosphere (2). We report about a study on
the concentration of PAHs and metals in the leaves of evergreen shrubs
exposed to PM10. Analyses were performed on adult specimens of the
evergreen Viburnum lucidum, Photinia x fraserii, Laurus nobilis, Ligustrum
japonicum, Ilex aquifolium and Elaeagnus x ebbingei, transplanted in
November 2009 and sampled in several seasons. Data interpretation can
benefit from ultrastructural analysis of foliar surface by SEM.
(1) F. De Nicola, C. Lancellotti, M.V. Prati, G. Maisto, A. Alfani, Atmospheric
Environment, 45 (2011) 1428-1433
(2) M. OtteleĢ, H.D. van Bohemen; A.L.A. Fraaij, Ecological Engineering, 36 (2010) 154-
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