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Title: Air pollution: effects on plants

Abstract

Plants may be affected by relatively low concentrations of pollutants and can serve as a kind of early warning system for the buildup of noxious chemicals in the air. The pollutants discussed were ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN). These pollutants produce leaf damage and injure grapes, navel oranges, and alfalfa. Many of these oxidants are produced by automobile exhaust. There is evidence that combinations of the pollutants can produce greater effects than individuals, if in the same concentration. The use of antioxidants to retard the action of oxidants is considered. Since chemical treatments are all expensive, use of pollution-resistant plants appears to be a more economical approach. There are marked variations in the susceptibilities of different plant strains to the effects of a given pollutant. 1 figure.

Authors:
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6499465
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 187:4178
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; NITROGEN DIOXIDE; TOXICITY; OZONE; SULFUR DIOXIDE; AIR POLLUTION; ALFALFA; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; GRAPES; LEAVES; ORANGES; OXIDIZERS; PEROXYACETYL NITRATE; SENSITIVITY; CHALCOGENIDES; ESTERS; FOOD; FRUITS; LEGUMINOSAE; NITRATES; NITRIC ACID ESTERS; NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; NITROGEN OXIDES; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PLANTS; POLLUTION; SULFUR COMPOUNDS; SULFUR OXIDES; 560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987); 500200 - Environment, Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)

Citation Formats

Marx, J L. Air pollution: effects on plants. United States: N. p., 1975. Web. doi:10.1126/science.187.4178.731.
Marx, J L. Air pollution: effects on plants. United States. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.187.4178.731
Marx, J L. 1975. "Air pollution: effects on plants". United States. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.187.4178.731.
@article{osti_6499465,
title = {Air pollution: effects on plants},
author = {Marx, J L},
abstractNote = {Plants may be affected by relatively low concentrations of pollutants and can serve as a kind of early warning system for the buildup of noxious chemicals in the air. The pollutants discussed were ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN). These pollutants produce leaf damage and injure grapes, navel oranges, and alfalfa. Many of these oxidants are produced by automobile exhaust. There is evidence that combinations of the pollutants can produce greater effects than individuals, if in the same concentration. The use of antioxidants to retard the action of oxidants is considered. Since chemical treatments are all expensive, use of pollution-resistant plants appears to be a more economical approach. There are marked variations in the susceptibilities of different plant strains to the effects of a given pollutant. 1 figure.},
doi = {10.1126/science.187.4178.731},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6499465}, journal = {Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 187:4178,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Feb 28 00:00:00 EDT 1975},
month = {Fri Feb 28 00:00:00 EDT 1975}
}