J. Kammerbauer et T. Dick, Monitoring of urban traffic emissions using some physiological indicators in Ricinus communis L. plants, ARCH ENV C, 39(2), 2000, pp. 161-166
Citations number
33
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology,"Pharmacology & Toxicology
Journal title
ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
Plants of Ricinus communis L. in the city of Porto Alegre, in southern Braz
il, were exposed to urban traffic exhaust emissions for 5 months and compar
ed with controls kept at a site essentially free of direct motor vehicle em
issions. No symptomatic visible injuries were observed, but significant dif
ferences could be measured in growth, enzymatic activities of total peroxid
ase and nitrate reductase, chlorophyll content, leaf buffering capacity, an
d N contents in leaves. Additionally, these data were compared with results
from fumigation experiments under controlled conditions. The study showed
that: some physiological parameters in R. communis L. plants could be used
as an appropriate bioindicator system for urban traffic contamination, and
therefore it is recommended that dose-response relationships should be deve
loped.