Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

BatStateU Alangilan
Alangilan, Batangas City

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS

Chemical and Food Engineering Department

Journal Critique:
Use of Tree Species in Controlling Environmental
Pollution - A Review

Submitted by:
Plata, Alyssa Sydney L.
FE - 2101

Submitted to:
Engr. Nico John Rosaldo Abratique, M.Eng

Date:
02 December 2021
 I. Abstract
Due to rising health and socioeconomic dangers, air pollution has become a global issue in
recent years. It has harmful health consequences in both indoor and outdoor settings. These hazards
are becoming more severe and impactful, particularly in poor nations, which need additional
management, and response systems as well as security. Air pollution refers to toxic air, which is
one of the most serious hazards to civilization. It presents a major danger to the environment and
society. Furthermore, Plants are important in reducing air pollution and maintaining ecological
equilibrium. Plants are the first acceptors of pollution; therefore, they function as scavengers.
Pollutants can be absorbed and stored by plants, resulting in lower levels of pollution in the
environment. The identification of tolerant plant species proposes plant species that would be
useful for green-belt development and social-forestry activities. This paper proposes a way to
address air pollution, and as a result in up to a 55% decrease in air pollutant emissions that produce
smog and acid rain as early as 2018. To get there, the researcher's approach will be to establish
national restrictions on four air contaminants that are often connected with industrial pollution.
This includes nitrogen oxides, sulfur compounds, and volatile organic matter, which cause smog
and acid rain.

II. Introduction
Air pollution is a serious public health issue that affects both developing and industrialized
nations. It is not just the ambient air quality in cities that is creating worry, but also the interior air
quality in rural and urban regions, with the inside environment having the highest air pollution
exposures. Although we are most familiar with visible air pollution such as smog, many other
forms of air pollution, including some of the deadliest, are completely unseen.

Our environment is filled with numerous sorts of pollutants generated by human activities
or industrial operations in today's world where industries have been updated and progressed.
According to Steubing et al., (1989), More than 308 million tons of CO2 and other pollutants are
released into the sky each year. Plants are vital to maintaining ecological equilibrium, yet they can
be severely harmed by air pollution, either directly or indirectly. Plants are the first acceptors of
pollution; therefore, they function as scavengers. There is no recognized physical or chemical
approach for reducing air pollution. Developing a biological technique by cultivating green plants
in and around industrial and urban areas might be a viable option. Because of this, urban vegetation
has been increasingly relevant in recent years due to its impact on local and regional air quality
(Jissy Jyothi and Jaya, 2010).

1. Air Pollution
Both air pollution and climate change have the same source: human activity,
hence they are inextricably connected. Pollutants generated by human activities or
industrial operations come in a variety of forms. Nitrogen oxides, organic
compounds, sulfur dioxide, and particulates are examples of these pollutants.
Human actions such as the burning of oil, coal, and gas have the ability to
significantly alter emissions from natural sources. Heavy metals (arsenic, lead,
mercury, and so on) and hydrocarbons are also being monitored in ten of the
country's big cities. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors ambient
air quality in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards, and several
universities and research organizations.

2. Effect of Vegetation on Air Quality

Air pollution occurs when toxic gases, dust, and smoke are released into the
atmosphere, making practically every living organism vulnerable. The properties
of dust particles and vegetation play a crucial role in determining their interactions
and, as a result, the efficacy of particle removal from the atmosphere. Tree and
forest design at the local scale can have an impact on pollution concentrations at
the local scale. To optimize the positive impacts of trees on pollutant concentrations
and human exposure to air pollution, more research is needed that takes into
consideration vegetation design and source-sink connections. In a polluted
environment, leaves, which are vulnerable and highly exposed components of a
plant, may operate as persistent absorbers (Maiti, 1993). The number of pollutants
deposited is determined by the leaf area index, deposition, and vegetation season.
As a result, Prajapati and Tripathi’s (2008) studies have demonstrated that
pollution-tolerant tree species may be employed to build green belts.

3. Effects of Particulate Matter on Vegetation

Depending on the particle size, a given mass concentration of airborne PM
can cause a wide range of phototoxic effects, a specific combination of
 nanoparticles. The majority of dust particle impacts on plants include the capacity
to damage stomata, affecting photosynthesis and respiration. Moreover, (1)
Nitrate and sulfate, and their linkages in the form of acidic and acidifying
deposition, and (2) Trace elements and heavy metals are inextricably linked to
particle deposition and impacts on plants.

4. Selection of Planting Material

Aesthetics are important in plant choice, but a plant's worth should extend
far beyond its visual appeal. The selection of a species is guided by function, and
we all know that high-quality planting material is the first link in establishing a
sustainable urban environment, and its value is evident. There will be a need to
choose suitable substitute species if a species looks to be susceptible to climate
change.

5. Tree Stability Assessment

The effort into sustainable urban forest management is centered on the need
to rethink tree stability evaluation to fulfill changing objectives. We all know that
trees in metropolitan areas are frequently subjected to extreme circumstances. They
are prone to mechanical flaws, which might pose a risk in situations where people
and property are present. Furthermore, various trees and palms have distinct
development circumstances and loads in different scenarios over time, which
includes features such as root formation, stem growth, photosynthesis, and so on.

6. Tree Selection and Maintenance in the Urban Environment

Trees play a vital role in promoting urban biodiversity by providing a
suitable habitat, food, and protection for plants and animals. The selection of trees
that are suitable for the climate of the place, as well as their upkeep, are critical
issues in greening the city. According to Nowak et al, the majority of current
methods for predicting CO2 sequestration by trees are based on above-ground
biomass output, such as stem diameter, plant height, and age. In addition, errors in
the calculation of various studies can be significant.

7. Ambient air quality

 Short and long-term exposure to contaminants in the air can result in a range
of health issues. SPM appears to be the most widespread kind of air pollution, while
there are several stations where sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide levels exceed
legal limits, according to annual averages of suspended particulate matter, sulfur
dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide in 16 cities across the nation.

8. SPM (suspended particulate matter)

Particulate matter is a naturally occurring component of the environment,
consisting of solid or liquid particles floating in the air. There are many different
forms of small airborne particles in the air, which come from both natural and
artificial sources. Over the last few years, SPM levels have been persistently high
in a number of cities. The highest levels of SPM were found in Kanpur, Calcutta,
and Delhi, while the lowest levels were found in Chennai and Hyderabad in
southern India.

9. Status of Other Air Pollutants

In Delhi and Calcutta, the annual mean concentration of desirable
particulate matter is much greater than the allowed limit for industrial, residential,
and other uses. Although particle lead levels in the ambient air of Calcutta and Delhi
are higher than the other two cities, they are well below the permissible limits for
the respective area classes. Moreover, the amount of polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment is increasing. However, while legal levels
for PAHs have yet to be announced, it should be emphasized that lead-free gasoline
has been made available across the country. Lead levels in the ambient air have
decreased as a result of this.

10. Air quality at traffic intersections

Many cities throughout the world, particularly in India, have experienced
severe levels of air pollution around traffic intersections. Site-specific air pollution
reduction has the potential to be a promising method for reducing pollution levels
in very contaminated areas. All of the monitoring sites had dangerously high levels
of respirable particulate matter and sulfur dioxide levels were below acceptable
 limits. Also, with the exception of a few sites, nitrogen dioxide levels were well
under the limits.

11. Air Pollution and Health Impacts

The link between air pollution and a variety of unfavorable health
consequences is becoming increasingly clear, but its negative economic effect is
less well understood. It's critical to understand the implications for India's states. In
most cities, the air is heavily polluted in terms of suspended particulate matter. This
has resulted in a higher prevalence of community-wide health consequences, such
as subclinical effects, reduced lung functioning, and medication usage, as well as
more frequent medical consultations and hospitalizations, with complex sickness
and even mortality among the exposed group of individuals. Respiratory infections
account for 10.9 percent of the total burden of disease, according to a World Bank
(1993) study, which could be due to the presence of communicable diseases as well
as high levels of air pollution, whereas coronary heart disease, and respiratory
obstructions are much lower. In a study about the lead levels in blood of the people
in India, children had a higher average of lead in their blood. Their blood lead levels
are also above the 10 ug/dl limit, posing a serious health risk.

III. Conclusion
Green spaces, such as trees, bushes, and forests, help to reduce pollution, particularly air
pollution. Despite this, it is not seen to be the ideal approach for dealing with pollution because it
is dependent on the seasons of the year and the density of tree leaves. Furthermore, plants have an
important function in mitigating the problem of air pollution. The identification of tolerant plant
species proposes plant species that would be useful for green-belt development and forestry
operations. Improving existing efforts to regulate and mitigate air pollution might assist India's
states to avoid significant economic losses as a result of air pollution.

IV. References
Poonguzhali, S. & Seerangan K. (2017). “Use of Tree Species in Controlling Environmental
Pollution-A review”. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319464954_Use_of_Tree_Species_in_Controlling_Env
ironmental_Pollution-A_Review