SEMEDS: an important tool for air pollution bio-monitoring

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Botany

Background:

• Plant canopies function as natural collectors of airborne particulate matter.
• Analyzing dust on leaf surfaces provides insights into local environmental contaminants and their origins.
• Dust deposition is typically greater on the upper leaf surface compared to the lower surface.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the inorganic elemental composition of dust accumulated on plant leaf surfaces.
• To evaluate the utility of Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for analyzing leaf-adsorbed dust.
• To explore the potential of using tree leaves for in situ air pollution monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Samples of dust adsorbed on leaf surfaces were analyzed using the Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) technique.
• SEM-EDS analysis was performed using two distinct methodologies: point analysis and elemental mapping.
• Identification and quantification of inorganic elements present in the dust samples.

Main Results:

• The SEM-EDS analysis confirmed the presence of several inorganic elements within the dust particulates collected from leaf surfaces.
• Key elements identified include Silicon (Si), Aluminum (Al), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), and Calcium (Ca).
• Both point analysis and elemental mapping techniques yielded consistent results regarding elemental composition.

Conclusions:

• SEM-EDS is a viable and effective technique for the in situ characterization of dust deposited on plant leaves.
• Tree leaves can serve as bio-indicators for monitoring air quality and identifying environmental pollutants.
• The identified elements (Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca) indicate potential sources of particulate matter in the studied area.