The mapping of stress in the predominant plantsin the city of Palermo by lead dosage

Many plants react to pollutants in the atmosphere andcan consequentely be used to examine air quality.A distinction is made between bioindicator,bioaccumulator and hiperaccumulator and biomonitorplants.Given the encouraging results of a study to monitorstress caused by pollution in the city of Palermo(Sicily), we decided to carry out a survey ofpollutants, by examining some passive bioindicatorplants, which grow naturally or which had long agobeen planted in the city. The species chosen were:Eucaliptus camaldulensis Dehnh.; Pinuspinea L.; Platanus hybrida Brot, examples ofwhich are found all over the city.Biostructural and spectrophotometry analyses werecarried out on the leaf and pollen samples, payingparticular attention to lead. Most damage (cytologicalalterations and lead accumulation) was found in thepine; morphological and cytological parameters arehighly unspecific but positively correlated with leadpresence in plant structures.