A difference analysis for Pb, Cu, Cl, and S with 15 species of landscape plant leaves in different functional areas of Nanjing

Key words: 
• garden plant /
• functional area /
• lead /
• copper /
• chlorine /
• sulfur

Abstract: To reveal differences in atmospheric pollutants of garden plant leaves, lead （Pb）, copper （Cu）, chlorine （Cl）, and sulfur （S） from Nanjing Chemical Industry Park （contaminated zone） and Nanjing Forestry University （clean zone） were determined and element accumulation and subordinative function value were analyzed. Results indicated that elemental pollutants from plant leaves in the contaminated zone compared with the clean zone had significant （P＜0.05） or extremely significant difference （P＜0.01）. The content of four kinds pollution elements with the same garden plant leaves was different, the accumulation in Pterocarya stenoptera, Magnolia grandiflora, Acer palmatum, Koelreuteria paniculata, Platanus hispanica and Buxus sinica showed Cl＞S＞Cu＞Pb, Ligustrum lucidum, Viburnum awabuki and Populus deltoides showed Cl＞S＞Pb＞Cu, Sophora japonica, Broussonetia papyrifera, Aucuba japonica var. variegata and Prunus cerasifera showed S＞Cl＞Cu＞Pb, Pittosporum tobira and Cinnamomum camphora showed S＞Cl＞Pb＞Cu. Based on the content of four kinds pollution elements from high to low, different garden plants were sorted into three groups by using subordinative function value method: 1） M. grandiflora, S. japonica, Populus deltoides, Broussonetia papyrifera, and Pterocarya stenoptera; 2） K. paniculata, Prunus cerasifera, Acer palmatum, Platanus hispanica, and Pittosporum tobira; and 3） Buxus sinica, Aucuba japonica var. variegata, Cinnamomum camphora, Viburnum awabuki, and Ligustrum lucidum. Thus, garden plants for air pollutants had certain absorption and purification ability, and pollution elements content in garden plants leaves show obviously difference depending on function areas, element kinds and tree species.［Ch, 3 tab. 19 ref.］