Pollution Research Paper

POLLUTION CONTROLLING ABILITY OF PLANT SPECIES GROWING ON COLLEGE CAMPUS IN DELHI, INDIA

BABBAR SIMRAN, MANISHA GUPTA, NEERAJ DOHARE, ANITA GOEL, RADHIKA GUPTA AND SARITA NANDA

Abstract

Daulat Ram College (DRC) has 13 acre campus which has plantation of around 500 plants with 100 different species. It has maintained this richness of green cover over the past 50 years of its existence. Till date no study has been conducted to understand the efficacy of various plants growing in the campus to combat air pollution. Therefore Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and Anticipated performance Index (API) score of ten plant species with maximum representation on campus like Trees: Azadirachta indica (Neem), Ficus religiosa (Peepal), Mangifera indica (Mango), Phyllanthus emblica (Amla), Psidium guajava (Guava), Saraca asoca (Ashoka), Shrubs: Araucaria columnaris (Christmas tree), Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) and herbs: Epipremnum aureum (Money Plant), Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi) were selected for study. Azadirachta indica (Neem), Mangifera indica (Mango) and Phyllanthus emblica (Amla) were in Best categories. Psidium guajava (Guava) showed Very Good tolerance and Ficus religiosa (Peepal) showed Good tolerance and Saraca asoca (Ashoka) showed Moderate tolerance. Shrubs like Araucaria columnaris (Christmas tree) provide Very Poor tolerance and herbs like Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi) and Epipremnum aureum (Money Plant) are in not recommended category. Furthermore analysing the data of other universities it was observed that if the pollution level increases the tolerance of Azadirachta indica (Neem) goes down whereas tolerance of Ficus religiosa (Peepal) improves. Although Ficus religiosa (Peepal) is a very sensitive plant with low APTI we recommend it should be planted along with the tolerant plants.