Ziziphus spina-christi leaves as a biomonitoring tool in Doha, Qatar.
Description
The leaves of Ziziphus spina-christi were evaluated as a bioindicator for air pollution. The analysis concentrated on the increased metal concentrations present on the leaf surface. The dust accumulated on the leaves of Ziziphus spina-christi was analyzed for various elements, including aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), utilizing Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). ArcGIS facilitated the mapping of the spatial distribution of metal concentrations.
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Ziziphus spina-christi leaves were collected from 29 designated roadsides and gardens in Qatar, categorized according to traffic intensity. Al-Wakra public garden was chosen as a reference site, 21 kilometers from Doha city. Dust particles were filtered using a Whatman nitrate cellulose membrane, assessed for PM density, and treated with a mixture of 65% nitric acid and 48% hydrofluoric acid. The samples were digested using a microwave system and preserved in nitric acid before analysis using ICP-OES. The Contamination Factor (CF) and the Pollution Load Index (PLI) were utilized to assess contamination levels, revealing a special distribution of metal concentrations using ArcGIS software.