RESEARCH ARTICLE

Comparative study of impact of air pollution in selected plant species tree, shrub and monocot in an industrial polluted area in Durg District

Ashwani Dewangan* and Anshudeep Khalkho

Department of Botany, Bharti Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, India.

*Corresponding Author Email- ashwanidewangan307@gmail.com

Introduction

Air pollution is a growing environmental concern, particularly in urban areas, where rapid industrialization and vehicular emissions have increased atmospheric pollutant levels. These pollutants can have detrimental effects on plant life, including alterations in physiological processes, reduced growth, and decreased productivity (Singh et al., 2023; Banerjee et al., 2022; Rai et al., 2020; Sarkar et al., 2021). Photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll, play a vital role in capturing light energy and converting it into chemical energy. Changes in biochemical parameters, including pH, water content, and ascorbic acid levels, can also impact plant health (Chandra et al., 2023) and tolerance to pollution (Kumar et al., 2021; De Villiers & Cadman, 2001). This study aims to investigate the impact of air pollution on these biochemical parameters in selected plant species.

Materials and Methods

Study site

The study was conducted in Durg, Chhattisgarh, India. Durg is a city in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, east of the Shivnath River, and is part of the Durg-Bhilai urban agglomeration. With an urban population of 1,064,077, Durg-Bhilai is the second largest urban area in Chhattisgarh after Raipur. Where leaf samples were collected from polluted sites with high industrial and vehicular emissions, as well as control sites with minimal air pollution. Selected plant species abundant in urban environments were analyzed for biochemical parameters, including chlorophyll content, pH, water content, and ascorbic acid levels, using spectrophotometry, a pH meter, and titration or HPLC, following the procedure of Saxena & Kulshrestha (2016); Saxena et al. (2025); Singh et al. (2023). Statistical analysis compared the biochemical parameters between polluted and control sites to assess the impact of air pollution.

Results and Discussion

The data from Mangifera indica across various environmental sites reveal significant impacts of air pollution on biochemical parameters. Chlorophyll content, a vital indicator of photosynthetic efficiency, shows marked reductions in industrial and urban sites compared to control sites, with industrial locations exhibiting the lowest values. Similarly, carotenoid levels, which play a protective role against oxidative damage, are notably diminished under polluted conditions. Ascorbic acid, an essential antioxidant, also decreases significantly in contaminated environments, reinforcing the vulnerability of plants to oxidative stress induced by pollutants. Proline content, however, is elevated at polluted sites, suggesting an adaptive response to stress conditions. The pH values of leaves show a shift towards more acidic levels in polluted areas, indicating altered physiological processes. Additionally, relative water content, a measure of hydration and cellular integrity, declines in polluted environments, suggesting impaired water retention. These findings collectively underscore the detrimental effects of air pollution on plant health, emphasizing the need for pollution mitigation strategies and the identification of resilient species for urban settings, as reported by Soni, P., & Gawri, S. (2023) and Dewangan & Khalkho (2025).

Table 1: Mangifera indica

Table 2: Ficus religiosa

The data presented highlight the profound impact of environmental pollution on plant biochemical parameters, as evidenced by various indicators across industrial and urban sites. Chlorophyll content, a critical measure of photosynthetic activity, shows a noticeable decline in pollutant-heavy areas compared to control sites, underscoring the impaired photosynthetic efficiency under stress conditions. Similarly, carotenoid levels, which serve as protective agents against oxidative damage, are lower in polluted environments, suggesting a reduced capacity to counteract such stressors. Ascorbic acid, another vital antioxidant, follows the same trend, indicating a heightened vulnerability to oxidative stress in areas with poor air quality.

Conversely, proline content is significantly elevated at polluted sites, signaling an adaptive response by plants to mitigate stress. This increase suggests that proline might play a compensatory role in maintaining cellular function under adverse conditions. The observed shift in leaf pH towards acidity in polluted regions further reflects physiological disruption, likely due to the absorption of acidic pollutants. Moreover, relative water content, a measure of cellular hydration and integrity, declines in contaminated areas, suggesting compromised water retention that could affect plant growth and overall health.

These findings collectively provide a compelling narrative of how air pollution alters plant biochemistry and physiology, emphasizing the need for continued research into pollution-resistant species and sustainable urban planning to mitigate environmental stress on vegetation.

The data presented for Calotropis procera reveal significant biochemical and physiological shifts across various environmental conditions, particularly in regions affected by industrial and urban pollution. Total chlorophyll levels, a marker of photosynthetic capacity, show a consistent decline at industrial sites relative to control regions, indicating impaired photosynthetic activity due to pollutant stress. Similarly, carotenoid content remains stable but moderately lower in industrial regions, suggesting a limited protective response against oxidative damage. Ascorbic acid, an essential antioxidant, diminishes in polluted areas, reflecting a reduced capacity to cope with oxidative stress, whereas proline levels rise significantly, signalling an adaptive mechanism to counteract environmental challenges. The shift in leaf pH towards more acidic levels in polluted sites highlights physiological disruption, possibly due to the absorption of acidic pollutants. Relative water content, an indicator of cellular hydration and integrity, consistently declines in contaminated areas, suggesting compromised water retention and plant health. Collectively, these findings underscore the detrimental impact of pollution on plant biochemical processes, emphasizing the resilience mechanisms plants employ to withstand environmental stress and the importance of sustainable practices to mitigate these impacts. Yadav & Joshi (2023) also successfully determined phytoremediation approaches.

The data analysis reveals a clear trend of biochemical and physiological variations in plants exposed to different environmental conditions. For instance, the decline in total chlorophyll levels in industrial sites compared to control regions indicates a direct impact on photosynthetic efficiency due to pollutant stress. Though carotenoid content remains relatively stable, its moderate reduction in these areas reflects a constrained protective response against oxidative damage. The diminished levels of ascorbic acid underscore a weakened antioxidant defense mechanism, while the significant increase in proline concentrations illustrates an adaptive strategy to mitigate environmental adversity. Furthermore, the acidic shift in leaf pH in polluted environments highlights physiological disruptions likely caused by the absorption of acidic pollutants. The reduced relative water content, a key indicator of cellular hydration, suggests compromised water retention and overall plant health. These findings not only underscore the detrimental effects of pollution but also highlight the inherent resilience and adaptive strategies of plants, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable practices to mitigate environmental stressors.

Table 3: Calotropis procera

Table 4: Cassia fistula

The data analysis reveals a clear trend of biochemical and physiological variations in plants exposed to different environmental conditions. For instance, the decline in total chlorophyll levels in industrial sites compared to control regions indicates a direct impact on photosynthetic efficiency due to pollutant stress. Though carotenoid content remains relatively stable, its moderate reduction in these areas reflects a constrained protective response against oxidative damage. The diminished levels of ascorbic acid underscore a weakened antioxidant defense mechanism, while the significant increase in proline concentrations illustrates an adaptive strategy to mitigate environmental adversity. Furthermore, the acidic shift in leaf pH in polluted environments highlights physiological disruptions likely caused by the absorption of acidic pollutants. The reduced relative water content, a key indicator of cellular hydration, suggests compromised water retention and overall plant health. These findings not only underscore the detrimental effects of pollution but also highlight the inherent resilience and adaptive strategies of plants, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable practices to mitigate environmental stressors.

The data analysis highlights notable biochemical and physiological variations in Bambusa vulgaris plants exposed to varying environmental conditions. A decline in total chlorophyll levels at industrial sites relative to control regions suggests reduced photosynthetic efficiency, likely due to pollution-induced stress. Although carotenoid content is relatively stable, its moderate reduction reflects a limited protective mechanism against oxidative damage. Additionally, diminished ascorbic acid levels indicate a weakened antioxidant defense, while elevated proline concentrations reflect a critical adaptive response to environmental adversity. The acidic shift in leaf pH in polluted environments further illustrates physiological disruptions, potentially linked to the absorption of acidic pollutants. Finally, a reduction in relative water content hints at impaired water retention and overall plant health. Together, these findings underscore the detrimental impact of pollution on plant systems while also showcasing the inherent resilience and adaptive strategies plants employ to combat environmental stressors. Therefore, biostimulants are a novel, sustainable approach to reducing the impact of heavy metals and plant stress (Adil & Quraishi, 2023; Sharma, 2022).

Table 5: Bambusa vulgaris