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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Assessing the Particulate Matter Removal Abilities of Tree Leaves
Published on: October 7, 2018
[Atmospheric particle-retaining capability of eleven garden plant species in Beijing]
Lei Wang1, Shangyu Gao, Lianyou Liu
1Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster of Education Ministry, College of Resources Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. wl@ires.cn
Abstract:
With eleven garden plant species in Beijing as test materials, this paper determined the adhesion density of atmospheric particles on leaf surface, observed the micro-configurations of leaf epidermis, and measured the particle size distribution of the particles. The results showed that the particles were mainly adhered on upside leaf surface, and the adsorbed amount was about six times higher than that on underside leaf surface. The particle-retaining capability of the micro-configurations of leaf epidermis was decreased in the order of groove> vein + cell > cell > strip protuberance. The capability of particle-retaining was higher when the micro-configurations were denser and the fall between them was larger. The mean value and the mean percentages of PM2.5 and PM10 on upside leaf surface were 66.7% and 98.3%, while those on underside leaf surfaces were 43.4% and 92.9%, respectively.
