Inhibition of apparent photosynthesis by air pollutants

Journal Article · · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5091873

Bennett, J H; Hill, A C

The reversible effects of hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide, and chlorine exposures on net carbon dioxide absorption rates (apparent photosynthesis) of alfalfa and barley plants were studied. Pollutant exposures required to reversibly depress CO/sub 2/ uptake rates and to cause cellular necrosis in the leaves were appraised. Plant responses to these air pollutants were compared with responses observed from previous equivalent studies with ozone, nitric oxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The experimental data show that CO/sub 2/ uptake could be reversibly suppressed by exposure dosages of these pollutants which did not cause cellular destruction in the leaves. However, except for the nitrogen oxides, some necrosis resulted from treatments with depressed CO/sub 2/ uptake rates more than 25-60% (depending upon the pollutant) by the end of 2-hour fumigation trials. The six air pollutants can be ranked in the following order according to the relative amounts that plant CO/sub 2/ uptake rates were depressed by the end of 2 hours of pollutant exposure: HF > O/sub 3/ > Cl/sub 2/ > SO/sub 2/ > NO/sub 2/ > NO. 35 references, 2 figures, 1 table.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City
• OSTI ID: 5091873
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 2:4; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALFALFA
BARLEY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CEREALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELEMENTS
GRASS
HALOGENS
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INHIBITION
INORGANIC ACIDS
LEGUMINOSAE
NECROSIS
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PLANTS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SYNTHESIS
UPTAKE