Study on the Enrichment Abilities of 52 Landscape Trees on Atmospheric Sulfur and Fluorine Pollutions in Northern Zhejiang

Abstract:

To evaluate the absorption and purgation capacity of 52 landscape trees to atmospheric sulfur (S) and fluorine (F) pollution in Northern Zhejiang, the leaf S and F contents of trees grown in chemical industry zone (pollution area) and Central Park (clean area) were determined, and their phytoremediation capabilities to pollution environment were evaluated. The results showed that there were significant differences in leaf S and F contents among 52 species, and variations between different sampling points and different life forms were also significant. The absorption efficiencies of shrub on S and F were both slightly lower than that of arbor, but higher than small arbor, meanwhile, the leaf S and F contents of deciduous species were higher than that of evergreen species. According to the leaf bioconcentration factors (BCF) and contents of S and F in species, these 52 landscape trees could be divided into five clusters, and several species with higher comprehensive absorption ability on S and F pollutions were screened out, such as Pterocarya stenoptera, Salix babylonica, Pyracantha fortuneana, Magnolia grandiflora, Loropetalum chinense, Zelkova serrata, Osmanthus fragrans and Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’, et al. These would provide references for the pollution control of S and F as well as phytoremediation in northern Zhejiang.

Key words:Landscape trees;Atmospheric pollution;Sulfur;Fluorine;Phytoremediation;Northern Zhejiang