Use of trees for reducing particulate matter pollution in air

Adverse health effects of environmental pollution is a frequent subject of medical and veterinary studies. One of the most dangerous air contaminants is particulate matter (PM). Planting trees as biological filters is considered as a valuable way of reducing number of particles in air. However, there is not enough research on selecting the most efficient plant species/varieties for accumulation of these pollutants. In this study, five commonly cultivated tree species were compared: silver birch, Simon’s poplar, callery pear ‘Chanticleer’, northern red oak and Swedish whitebeam, to identify the differences in accumulation levels of PM on leaf surface. Results showed that all of the tested species accumulated high amounts of PM. Whitebeam and birch were most effective in capturing particles, while lowest levels were found on oak.